Blood, Water, Oil
by Daddy's Little Pyro
Summary: "As a woman, you must learn your place." - "What's your name again? I want to remember so I can mark it by your ashes." Bella and the Major are water and oil. No one said they'd stay that way. Rated M for many reasons. Bella/Jasper.
1. Chapter 1: Fight

**Summary: **"As a woman, you must learn your place." - "What's your name again? I want to remember so I can mark it by your ashes." Bella and the Major are water and oil. No one said they'd stay that way. Rated M for many reasons. Bella/Jasper.**  
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**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. Mature subjects. Some sexist views.

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 1 - Fight<p>

I don't remember who turned me. I remember the excruciating pain. Flames that burned me from the inside. I wanted to beg for death. To scream to someone, anyone, to kill me. Something prevented my voice from being heard.

When I awoke, there was complete darkness. Even with my extraordinary sight, I couldn't see anything. My other senses took over as a mouth-watering scent invaded my nose. It brought with it more pain. The burning in my throat became unbearable. I ran farther in the darkness. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. I simply ran.

Hot sand. Blinding sun. An abandoned beach served as a tranquilizer. The sound of the blue waves washing onto shore calmed me. The bright sun shone down, causing millions upon millions of small diamonds to glitter; it held a close contrast to the beauty of the ocean. I marveled at the sparkles coming from my body. I was a human-shaped disco ball. I could have been useful in the seventies. The thought made me laugh. The sound of wind chimes rose from my throat.

I heard it. A beating heart. The sound of the soft pounding, pumping fresh blood. Venom pooled in my mouth. I rested a hand on my throat, trying to smother the inferno from the outside. No luck. The scent was getting closer. Instinct took over. I followed the wondrous smell. Crouched in a tree. Watched. Waited. A man. And a little girl. They were licking ice cream cones. The girl had gummy bears on hers. Yum. I used to love gummy bears. She would taste delicious.

Something screamed at me. My conscious. It begged me to listen. _This is wrong. They're people. Humans. They don't deserve this fate. _I shrugged. I grabbed the man first. His screaming fell to deaf ears. Not a soul could hear him from the caves I had awoken in. I planted my teeth by his neck and tore through the thin skin. He tasted like chicken soup. The crimson cough medicine soothed the ache in my throat. For good measure, I cracked his neck. I didn't want him to wake up like I did. I didn't want him to become a monster, as I was.

The child was next. I couldn't bear to look into her eyes and see her terror. I could already sense it. In a swift motion, I cracked her neck. Sinking my teeth into her warm flesh, I drank her sweet blood. She tasted like hot apple pie on a cool day. And gummy bears. Delicious.

Blood spread to tiny cracks in the earth floor. I was messy with my food. It could get me caught. I had to be more careful.

I spent several months discovering what I could. Many called me a newborn. In my definition, it meant I was volatile and young. Untrustworthy. An impediment to the supernatural world. I was strong and fast, but inexperienced, and a liability.

I wanted to prove them wrong. Constant stares. Bullshit excuses. I wouldn't stand for it. I would learn. I would improve. A kind man named Eleazar took me in. He taught me how to control my thirst. He helped me prove I was no hindrance. He even helped me discover my own gift. I was considered a shield. I kept my mind protected, and other people out. I had yet to find the switch that turned it off, but with more practice I would get there.

Years passed. My newborn strength waned, but the speed did not. I ran for hours at a time. Heavy clothing became unneeded. Blue jeans and an white undershirt were fine. I balked at the idea of shoes. Being barefooted was almost the same, seeing as how my skin resembled the hard nature of granite.

Summer became my favorite season. I yearned for the hot sun that shined brightly, warming my skin. Today the sun was blazing. I welcomed the heat. My snack was directly below me. A child, with dull brown hair and shining blue eyes. She licked her ice cream contently. I could feel the venom pool in my mouth and dribble down my chin.

I was going to grab the girl when I smelt them. More of my kind. Vampires. The oblivious child ran off with her mother. I growled in frustration. I could have had her. They ruined my concentration, and cost me my snack. I climbed down from my spot high above and turned to face them angrily.

They were stunningly beautiful, like all immortals were. Bright red eyes accompanied pale white skin. Two had pale blond hair, the shade of straw. One had light brown hair that was tied back into a ponytail. The last was a woman. She was the needle in her group of haystacks.

She had raven black hair, woven tightly into a single braid descending down her back. Unlike the men, who wore robes of various colors, she had on jeans and a brightly colored t-shirt. She gave me an intriguing look. I leaned into a crouch and prepared myself mentally for battle.

One of the blondes peered at me with wide eyes. He was obviously the youngest, and his eyes were a brighter red than the others. He was a newborn. The older one sneered at me disgustedly. The brunette simply stared, not offering any opinion I could read in his eyes. The older blond spoke once again. "That was a child you were about to feed on." I could hear the disgust in his voice. I grinned, showing off my teeth. "Glad to know you can see. Is there a problem?" I stayed in position. I wouldn't give off any hints that I was weak. The woman stepped forward, and the man stepped back quickly.

"We mean no harm. But this is our territory, and you are intruding on a kill that is not your own." Her voice trilled a pretty melody, like from a harp. Without warning, the older blond thrust himself at me. I step-sided, into a position that allowed me to place my arms around his neck. I planted my lips at his neck and tore as I bit, decapitated him.

His body dropped with a thud. The head fell close to my foot. I kicked it away, giving a feral snarl to the rest of the group. The fight began.

The brunette circled me, watching for a blind spot. I lunged. Our bodies connected, mimicking a clap of thunder. His inadequate attempts to dismember me made me laugh. I grabbed him by the leg and swung downward, pinning him to the ground and gaining the upper hand. I was about to rip him to pieces when I heard it.

Clapping. Low clapping. A man stepped from the shadows. He had honey blond hair that hung to his chin and light red eyes. There was a multitude of colors in them, ranging from dark crimson to topaz gold. It was like they were stained glass.

"Now, now. Is that any way to treat a guest?" His voice was deep, and smooth, and incredibly sexy. He smelled of citrus and lemons. His height was well over mine, somewhere around at least 6 feet. His stride held power. Judging from the way the other two got on their knees as he approached, I would say he was in a position of power indeed.

"Walker," he crooned. The man under me stiffened. In less than a second, I was flat on my back. He was standing, and I'm sure if he could have, Walker here would have shitted himself. I shifted quickly into a hunting crouch, unsure of any danger my way. "Major," Walker cringed. "I'll do better, sir. I promise." _Invertebrate._ I wondered if they could sell spines. He should buy one.

The blond simply smiled somewhat morbidly. In the time it would have taken me to blink, several things happened.

The man called Major had Walker by the throat. Almost like he was kissing his neck, he separated his head from the cold body. He dropped both and turned to the three of us. His eyes practically glowed as he began to bark orders. "Melinda. You know what to do with the pieces." As he spoke, she nodded and ran off.

He turned to look at the boy. "Jason," his voice was softer, almost loving. "Help me escort our guest to the grounds." I snarled at his demand. I admit, the man intrigued me. With his sexy southern drawl, commandeering stature, and all-around cowboy soldier routine, my curiosity was piqued. But that was no reason for me to walk off with some random man.

"On second thought, I'll take her myself. Why don't you find Vanessa and tell her about the fight you saw." Jason smiled at his request and raced off. I turned to watch the man who had most likely saved me life. He was obviously in charge around here. His voice itself made you feel compelled to obey. He had a certain air of respect around him; something made you think twice before crossing this man.

"Who are you. What the fuck do you want." Something in me made me feel like I should be grateful. And then I shut it up by mentioning I was handling things fine before he decided to ruin a good fight. Asshole.

"Major Whitlock, ma'am. And you would do well to sound grateful to the one who saved you." He didn't sound the least hesitant in what he was saying. Rage was beginning to build when it abruptly subsided. I suddenly felt strangely apathetic towards where he took me. Why would it matter? I was an immortal. I could always escape if things got out of hand.

"Follow me, darlin'." He took my hand. I wanted to pull away and rip his off. I would remove it. Permanently. But I felt a slight tingling where our skin touched. If he felt it, he paid it no mind. We ran at the speed of a lazy vampire, reluctant to run but doing so anyway.

My conscience began to speak to me. Or maybe it was my inner human. I didn't know. But I started to wonder why I didn't care that I was following a strange man I knew nothing about. Almost like the trance was broken, I felt more like myself.

He had let go of my hand as we were running. Without warning, I ran. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't particularly care at the moment. I had to get away from him.

I was overcome with an intense amount of despair. I had to fight it. Something told me these feelings were related to that man. As I shook the feeling off, I smelled him. Behind me. I spun around and once again lowered into a hunting crouch. Loneliness. Despair. They knocked me over and had my head pounding. He simply smiled and yanked me up. His grip on my arm was tight.

My emotions were out of control. Fear. Lust. Rage. Hate. Pain. They had my head swimming, and I desperately wanted out. I gave him a cold glare. We walked. Or rather, he walked while dragging me behind him. I kept to my own thoughts, trying to practice ignoring his presence completely.

We stopped. He gestured to a large iron gate. Curiosity hit me hard again. If needed be, I would leave. I could. I would fight my way out if I had to.

I stepped forward and walked through the gates. They swung closed behind me with a loud ring.

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><p><strong>AN:<br>**Well, please review, and I hope you liked. I'll have another one out by next week. Bye.


	2. Chapter 2: Obedience

_Wow. I was a little surprised by the response to the first chapter. But happy nonetheless. Thanks for reading, favoriting, or alerting. Any reviewers, your name will be at the ending Authors Note._

**_Major thanks to DJ for beta-ing._**

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. Mature subjects. Some sexist views. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 2 - Obedience<p>

Green. That was my first thought. I gazed in awe at the stretch of land. There was an orchid nearby; from plump, ripe peaches to various colored apples. A large barn nearby full of animals. Thousands of acres spread out as far as the eye could see.

To say the estate was beautiful was an understatement. Only the truly insane would refuse to live here. And in the little corner of heaven sat a rather large house. It was far off away from the entrance, secluded from the rest of the land. Someone liked their privacy.

A rough grab brought my attention to the psycho behind me. Hands. Wrapped around my waist. He brought heat. It sent little tingles down my spine and made me shiver. His lips were at my ear. "Don't run from me, darlin'. I'd hate to destroy such talent."

My mind was millions of miles away. What was he saying? Something about running and talent. I didn't speak. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He was touching me. His hand on my wrist. It was annoying. I would remove it. From my wrist. His arm. This world.

We walked. Or rather, I was dragged behind him. I could smell wonderful scents. The smell of blood. Humans. The thought made me salivate. He growled at me.

When we got to the front door of the house, he rudely pushed me through. I glared. Major Asshole here was really getting on my nerves. And there was the arm around my shoulders. If he puts his hands on me one more time, I will rip his head off. "Touch me again, and you will not like the results."

He ignored me. The creak of an opening door brought a woman with it. She was old, with streaks of white and gray in her otherwise red hair. Her eyes were blue and looked small behind a pair of glasses. "Major," she said happily. "Welcome home."

He nodded at her and thrust me forward. I growled. Douche. "Ms. Hartley. Please show our guest to one of the vacant rooms. And send Xavier to my office." He disappeared quickly. I pouted. "He left without a good-bye. Darn."

The old woman chuckled. "Follow me, dear." I walked behind her as she led me past several rooms. They were all empty. I didn't understand. What the fuck was I even doing here, was my question. "Here you are. Room 210."

How pretty. A room fit for a queen. The fireplace already had some wood inside it. There was a cabinet by the window. A closet. Hell, even a nice bed. He sure knew how to treat his guests.

The old woman had already left. I sat on the plush mattress. This man reeked of power. He was obviously well-liked among humans and feared among vampires. He had a gift of his own, I believe. Empathy. Eleazar had told me of it once. It was incredibly powerful.

"So," a voice spoke. "You're the new girl." I snarled and in that second, was positioned by the window in a hunting stance. The girl chuckled. "Relax. I'm not gonna do anything." I sniffed the air. Nothing. She didn't have a scent. I heard of it before, but never had I seen an immortal with the ability. She couldn't be tracked. Not by physical ability, at least.

She sat on the bed, a few inches from where I'd been. "I'm Zak, by the way." I yanked myself out of my crouch and warily approached her. She had short, wavy blond hair with black tips. Her eyes were dark red. "I'm Bella," I introduced myself. She nodded. She reached into her pants pocket and handed me a piece of paper. "This is yours."

I stared at the wrinkled paper in my hand. "What the fuck is this." "Letter. Read it, and then follow me. You better hurry, though. Major isn't a patient man."

I unfolded the letter and stared in shock as I read the words printed onto the page.

_I expect all rules to be obeyed at all times. Or there will be severe consequences. You are not to leave the compound without an escort, and must be accompanied by one at all times. __I will be addressed in a respectful manner. __You will serve me, and me alone. No humans in the compound may be fed on. _

_I expect my rules to be honored. Certain rules may be changed at a time when I deem fit. Any objections, you will repeat them to me and me only._

My vampire mind tried to process what I'd just read. Nothing made sense. Did this jackass just expect me to listen? Was that what he expected from everyone? What the fuck had I gotten myself into? I read it again in a desperate attempt to understand.

I was pissed. I was beyond pissed. I was gonna kill something. Someone. Him. I would tear him apart. Light a match under his ass and watch him burn. If he was human I would've bathed in his blood.

Zak walked over to me carefully. Good. She was cautious. She should be. "Bella. Calm down. Maybe you should go hunt."

_You are not to leave the compound without an escort. _My throat closed. Panic surrounded me and pulled me under. I was drowning. My mind was racing. Trapped. Encased. I was stuck here. Escape routes. Door. Too noticeable. Window.

I ran over to the ledge and jumped out. Glass shattered. The shards scattered around me on the grass. "Bella!" Zak called from behind me. I ignored her and hauled ass. Instinct took over and kicked into overdrive. In a matter of seconds, I heard the sound of other feet behind me. My legs responded eagerly when I poured on the speed.

It did me no good. My pursuer caught up to me quickly. A quick sniff of the air. Citrus and lemons. Him. A snarl ripped through my chest. I put my foot just right on a rock and propelled myself behind my kidnapper. I swung. He ducked. I swept. He fell.

I was about to run when his own foot caught mine. I fell to the side of him with a thud. He rolled on top of me. His hands enclosed my wrists and pinned them to the ground. I roared with anger. I was seeing red. "Get off me, you lunatic!" I tried to buck him off. No luck. I felt a wave of calm and submission. I was about to give in. I wanted to.

I couldn't. I fought it. I though about him kidnapping me. His stupid letter. His idiotic rules. Rage was all I could feel. I flipped us over and found myself on top of him. My lips were inches from his. We stared at each other, never wavering. Lust and rage swirled inside me, competing with each other over which was more important.

I jumped off of him. He jumped up at the same time and grabbed me from behind. Damn it! I struggled. A growl rose from my throat and made itself known. His grip was tight. His mouth moved close to inches away from my ear. The sweet southern drawl made me shiver. "I see you're a feisty one. Don't worry. I'll get rid of that in no time."

Fear gripped me in its jaws. Logic forced me to calm myself and think things through. This was no time to rebel. I had to say put for a while. Learn. Observe. When I had enough, I would execute my escape. I walked back toward the land in a daze. My body acted on auto-pilot, but my mind was a muddled mess.

Everything was confusing, and I was confused. This man. What use did I serve to him? And why was I really here? He didn't even know who I was. I had no reason that I knew of to stay. Yet I couldn't blatantly run. I had to bide my time.

Maybe I would be the wolf in sheep's clothing. The spy working for the other side.

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><p>Zak was waiting for me when I got to my room. She was angry. I got an icy glare for a reward. "Come on," she growled. She led me to a room several miles down the hall. "Follow me, and do what I do."<p>

She knocked on the door and waited several seconds before we heard someone say, "Enter." We walked in, me behind her. He was writing something, looking at a book every now and then. He hadn't even acknowledged us. I fought back the urge to growl.

She kneeled and bowed her head, casting her eyes to the floor and pressing her hands behind her back. Submissive. Obedient. I copied and settled next to her. The only sound was the scritch-scratch of his pen. "Zacharie. Speak."

"I apologize, Major. It was my responsibility to look after and guide her, and I have failed you." Listening to Zak undermine herself to this man made me angry. She wasn't to blame. You can't control people. Being her responsibility didn't mean it was her fault I ran off. I stifled a snarl. I had to play it cool. Seem like one of them.

I heard the creak of a chair. He'd gotten up. "Both of you. Look at me." We complied. His eyes seemed to rest on Zak. Rage filled them, but his demeanor was calm. "You disappointed me. I expected you to be able to handle Isabella, Zacharie." Okay, how the fuck did he know my name.

"What has occurred today is completely unacceptable. Your lack of responsibility put many lives at risk. I trusted you to be the one to teach her, and I want it understood that you will."

And then his eyes came to rest on mine. I didn't look away. My gaze never wavered from his. "You, Isabella. You have disrupted the peace of my home. Soon you will learn how this household works. And you will learn that certain actions will be punished."

He stood in front of Zak. She dropped her head, her eyes casting down. He put a hand under her chin and yanked it back up. He stroked her short hair lovingly, like he cared. There was a crack as his hand connected with her cheek. I saw her wince.

I didn't understand. Why did Zak take this treatment? Why did anyone? He was an arrogant asshole who expected everyone to fall to his feet when he walked by. I wouldn't put up with it. Screw blending in. Someone needed to knock some sense into this man.

The shame radiating off of her was enough to make me cringe. Was it possible to factor Zak into my escape plans? I didn't know if she could even be trusted. "Zacharie. Speak." He treated her like a dog in obedience school. Speak. Sit. Roll over. I want to shout. She wasn't a dog. She didn't belong to him. And neither did I.

"I will teach her, Major. I apologize for disappointing you. I will do better."

"We will see if you are forgiven in time. You will spend 2 nights with me as punishment. I expect you in my office, at seven o'clock sharp. You know how I want you when I send for you." She nodded. "You are dismissed. Go to your room and stay there until I come for you."

She was gone. I got up and was about to leave with her when he was in front of me. "Where are you going, Isabella?" He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him. I could feel his body against mine. "We aren't done."

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><p><strong>AN:<br>**So, there it is. Jasper seems a bit...arrogant, in the words of my favorite brunette. So controlling. Maybe Bella will liven things up around there.

So, hope you review and stand by next week for another chapter. Bye and thanks for reading.

**_Reviewers of the Last Chapter: _**BrittaniBruiser, HappyHateDay, JazzyFan, pocketjack, totally loko X10, ScRaBbLe1, tiffaninichole, wendy1969, fandijo, caressa28, KittyAsrai, leezerlisa, Themys, roon0


	3. Chapter 3: Ladylike

_You guys spoil me with your reviews. I love how everyone had something to say about Major Asshole. :) Some of your comments were particularly...interesting. And made me laugh. _**Fakin' it **_gave me some awesome ideas of where to take the story. Or at least some interesting and violent ideas for Bella. She might just use those. Reviewers, your names are gonna be in the ending AN.__  
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**Major thanks to DJ for beta-ing, and Cal for prereading. Love ya ladies. ;)_  
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**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. Mature subjects. Some sexist views. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 3 - Lady-like<p>

I hissed at him. He was right. We weren't done. We were just getting started.

I pushed away from him, flattening my back against the wall. He blurred to my side. I was expecting him. With a well-placed kick against the wall, I was behind him. That was my chance. With a horrible squelching sound, his arm went flying towards the desk.

His leg swept underneath my own. I went down with a crash. He was on the other side of the room, his dismembered arm in his hand. I growled at him again. He snarled at me. I wanted to rip him to pieces. An arm wasn't enough. I wanted his head lolling on the ground and his body feeding a roaring fire.

I got up. He came at me. I ducked. His hand shot out and grabbed my left wrist. Pain coursed through my body. I had a stump where a hand was. I roared. _Bella mad. _He made a grab for me. I cartwheeled inches from where his hand had tried to attack me. He jumped off the wall and tackled me. I was pinned beneath him.

His arms gripped my own. I knocked my head into his throat. He loosened his hold on me, giving me the upper hand. I used my now re-attached hand to grip his throat and slam him into the ground. He looked dazed. I jumped off of him and hit the wall by the window. We were on opposite sides of the room now.

Instinct screamed at me to run, but I'd never been much of a quitter. I looked at the window. I could jump out. _Again. _Instead of falling to the ground, I would climb to the top of the building. It was a diversion. Perfect.

My plan was destroyed in the action of inattentiveness. I was violently thrown against the wall. He was in front of me. His hand was on my throat. There was no ground underneath my feet. He'd lifted me in the air. I dance was never going to end. We would fight 'til the end, with the way we went at it.

He let go. I wasn't expecting it. I hit the floor with a dull thud.

"Go," he demanded. "Get the fuck out." I growled. Ordering people around. He had no right.

"How the fuck dare you. What the fuck gives you the right to tell people what to do! I am not your slave. I'm not some cute little puppy that you can train with treats and rewards. And neither is Zak. Seriously, what in God's name is wrong with you."

He growled again. Fear washed over me. My thoughts swirled around my head. I was over-stepping my boundaries. He could obviously take me. My thirst was getting worst. I hadn't drank anything in a while. I was weak.

I pushed them away. He was controlling my emotions, making me thing thinks that weren't really there. We would continue this some other time. I didn't turn my back to him. I knew better. Our eyes were locked with one another as I backed out of the room. My body was on auto-pilot again. I ran. I didn't know where I was going.

When I finally stopped and looked around, I didn't even know what hall I was in. And then I ran across an interesting scent. Zak. Cinnamon and bushels of raspberries. Guess she could turn her gift on and off. I followed it all the way to the room I'd been given. And what I found in there was enough to make me want to beat his ass all over again.

Clothes were on the floor. Red t-shirt. Tight blue jeans. Her lacy black undergarments were strewn across the bed. She was completely and utterly naked. She gave me a half-smile when she saw me. "Guess they forgot to tell you about the shared room, huh." She thought I was surprised to see her. It was only half true. I was surprised; but it was more because of her lack of clothing.

"Zak. Why the hell are you nude." I knew why, but I needed to hear it from her mouth. I needed to calm myself too. Getting angry at her wouldn't do me any good, although I was seriously considering it. "This is my punishment for disobeying the Major." Her voice was so small. Like a helpless child.

"You don't deserve it. You can't control me anymore than he can you. Why do you let him." I was seriously thinking of starting a bonfire. His body would be the fuel. I would roast marshmallows and whistle while I toasted his ass.

"I was supposed to be your guide, Bella. The Major calls us Kins. I was supposed to be your Kin. I was supposed to explain everything to you and then you would be introduced to the Major and-"

"First off," I interrupted. "None of that would have happened the way you just described. It _didn't _happen the way you described. Number one, if you explained everything to me instead of letting me read that note thing, I would have flipped. And you would have been in pieces. Number two, I've already met your so-called Major. Not as great as you think. Complete asshole, lemme tell you. And number three, even if I had done everything you wanted me to, I _still _would have jumped out a window and ran as fast as I could move."

She smiled. I sighed and sat on the bed, next to her naked form. "I think the Major likes you, Bella." My eyes widened. I wanted to punch her in the goddamn jaw for even speaking the words. "No fucking way. Even if he did like me, I would kick his ass into the nearest opening to hell."

She laughed. I was glad I had cheered her up. She needed to be happy. A happy Zak made a semi-happy Bella. _Yeah, let's go with that. _She frowned. "You need to know, Bella." "Know what?"

"About the Major. About life here. What the Major did in his office," it was my turn to cringe, "It's only the beginning of everything."

I nodded for her to go on. She glanced around sneakily before speaking fast.

"He likes being in control. He doesn't feel right when he's not. He always has to make all the decisions and rules. If we obey, we get a treat." Like a dog. "Sometimes it's a trip into town. But when we get punished..." she trailed off. Her knees were brought up to her chest, and she hugged them to her.

"He has different ways of punishing us. Sometimes it's starving us. Other times he beats the crap out of us. Sometimes he makes us feel things. More often, he likes to have sex."

"As a punishment." My voice was monotone. I was attempting to contain my anger. She nodded. "It's not just a punishment. He does it when he wants. We're more like sex slaves to him. But...we accept it. He gives us a family. We feel wanted. It's all we have."

I nodded. My thoughts weren't as nice. I smelled someone approaching. "Talk fast." "The Major is our master. He is a passionate, aggressive man. Relentless, vindictive, and controlling. No one knows where he learned his skills. He can manipulate your emotions at the drop of a hat. You need to be careful."

A knock at the door directed our attention. A boy was standing at the door. He was shirtless, giving me a long look at his flat stomach and tight abs. _Yummy._ He had a mop of sandy hair that curled at his ears and bright red eyes. He'd recently fed. It reminded me I was hungry.

"Zak. The Major requests you. He's in his office." He looked almost apologetic to be delivering the message. Her face paled, which was a feat in itself considering we were vampires. She nodded. "Thanks, Vic," she muttered. A second passed before she was gone. The boy smiled at me. I raised an eyebrow.

"You're pretty famous around here. Ran and fought the Major all on your first day? Hear you almost got to the town." He looked impressed. I rolled my eyes. "I'm Victor. And you must be Isabella." "Bella," I corrected. He nodded. "Well, Bella. I hope you and the Major get along well." Like oil and water.

"Why." I narrowed my eyes. "Because the Major is your escort. If you wanna leave town, you have to go with him."

_Fuck. Me. Hard. Sideways._ "The hell he is."

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><p>Darkness. Night. The stars twinkles brightly. The humans were asleep. I had waited for them to go to their homes and rooms before coming out from my own. I didn't want to accidentally kill someone. Except maybe him. It wouldn't be so bad if I killed him. Accident or not.<p>

I crept through the night with the skill of a poorly-trained spy. My espionage skills rivaled that of a duck. To human standards, I was perfection. To supernatural standards, I was a joke.

Barrels of citrus and bottles of lemon. His scent was one that could never be masked. "Isabella." His voice was cold and smooth. I growled. I didn't address him by his little nickname. It was a name of power and I wasn't acknowledging his power at the moment.

His stance was unusually calm. Relaxed, even. I growled. "Where's Zak," I demanded. His eyes narrowed. I wanted to yell at him. Scream to the heavens. He was an asshole and needed to be taught a lesson or two. "She's in your room. Putting her clothing back on." Another growl. I was feeling a little guard-dog-ish tonight.

I glared at him. His clothes. Probably ironed and folded. My own were wrinkled and dirty. I didn't care. I loved the dirt. I rolled around in it and embraced the filthy feeling it brought. "I trust Victor has informed you who is to be your escort." I nodded. He had. And I refused to acknowledge it was him.

"Well, I'm going out. I'll be back when I'm good and full. Bye." I ran. Off the ground and up a tree. They were closely knit together, enough that I could release my inner-monkey and swing from the branches. I laughed as I jumped from each tree. Freedom never felt so great. I knew he was following. I could hear him. It was a subtle reminder that I was not allowed to do what I wanted.

I growled. Asshole. I stopped and turned to look at him. He was standing a good yard away from me, with the space between a towering fir and a wide oak between us. "You know, stalking is a federal crime. You could get arrested." The corners of his mouth twitched. He didn't smile. His face remained stoic, and that pissed me off more than anything.

My nose sought out a pool of delicious crimson. I followed the smell deep into the forest. Humans. One standing over another. He was holding a knife coated in the good stuff. I licked my lips. Flames shot through my throat and burned me where I stood.

I attacked. He screamed. I snarled. He brandished a knife. I laughed in his face. The only thing that could hurt me was another of my kind. Our teeth were made for hurting one another. The feel of the metal blade on my skin was like a feathery caress. I grinned.

Teeth tore into flesh. Sweet nectar flowed into my mouth. I sucked it down greedily. The burn dulled, but didn't disappear. I could hear the sound of approaching feet. A hiss rose from my throat. Nothing would deter me from my meal. I jumped into the trees.

I drank him dry and pushed him off me. He hit the ground with a thud. _He_ was standing on the branch of the sycamore I had claimed. Watching me. It was strange. I inspected myself. Bloody clothes. Dirt-encrusted hair. My cough medicine was spread all over my mouth. I was a mess, and it felt wonderful.

"A woman should be clean, especially with her kill."

I glared. "Your point?"

"Clean yourself up." I laughed at his order. Clean myself? Please. I wasn't some housewife entertaining guests. I was a vampire, and how I handled my kill was entirely up to me.

"How about this. I'll clean up when you take the stick out your ass. It's jammed up there pretty far." My words only pissed him off. Good. Oh. Bad. His anger flowed loosely and rolled over to me. I could feel it from where I stood. It added to my already present rage.

_I will be addressed in a respectful manner. _Respectful manner my ass. Respect had to be earned. He had bullied and fought his way for it and that wasn't how things worked. _  
><em>

"As a woman, you must learn your place." My place. I didn't know where I belonged. I didn't know much about my new life or the world I lived in. I had no place. "What's your name again? I want to remember so I can mark it by your ashes."

He rolled his eyes. "Stop your theatrics. I simply meant you need to act proper. Like a lady." I blanched at the word. Thoughts of me, sipping tea and talking proper, were enough to make me gag. I looked at him. Red eyes. Blond hair. He was nothing special.

But the pull. I had it. It was there. And it was constantly tugging. My dead heart ached when he was around. Rage would combine with want and leave me confused. I couldn't lust after my captor. It was wrong.

But I couldn't stop thinking about it.

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><p>'Kay, so Bella and Jasper are at different ends of the valley. He wants a lady. She wants freedom. Quriky little pair, aren't they?<p>

Review and please tune in next week. I'll have another chapter up by then. Bye and have a good day.

**Reviewers of Last Chapter**: Anon obviously, BrittaniBruiser, MsPeaceHope, geuinef250, Fakin'it, EJacob24, Themys, TwilightAddict71484, ItsJasperWhitlock, LiZzIeS BaBy BoO BoO, wendy1969, KittyAsrai, Gavelston's Daughter, caressa28, NatalieLynn


	4. Chapter 4: Playing the Game

_Man, everyone had a say about what they think Bella should do with Major Asshole. I would personally like to shake her awake and point to him. She'll get the message. You know what they say, it only takes 4 muscles to slap someone. And 5 to kick their ass. Thanks for all the reviews, and your names will be in the ending AN.__  
><em>

**Major thanks to DJ for beta-ing, and Cal for prereading. Love ya ladies. ;)_  
><em>**

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. Mature subjects. Some sexist views. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 4 - Playing the Game<p>

Freedom. I longed for it. Craved it. He took my freedom from me. I wanted it back. I was not a lowly serf in the kingdom of control. I was a goddamn rebel leader. If everything turned out like I wanted it to, he would learn some manners and figure out how to treat women.

It would take planning, preparations, and tons of patience. It would also be a hell of a lot more fun than sitting around taking orders from Captain Clout.

I visited my abandoned beach. The dark sky overhead made the moon seem brighter. I sat in wet sand and let the water soak my clothes. My nose was filled with the scent of sea salt. I smiled happily. My hands picked up wet beach soil. I played with grainy putty. It was fun.

He was behind me. I seriously had to learn this mans name. Calling him "him" all the time wasn't exactly going to help anything too much. If I was lucky, I would be out of here before I had to learn it.

Night turned to day. Blue and pink blended. The waves glittered. They washed upon me with little care. I got up. My clothes were soaked. I sat down on a hill with a mounds of dirt. Being wet turned it into mud. I liked mud. It was squishy and sticky.

I smeared some on my face. War paint. Mud mask. Add a little honey, maybe I could eat it too. "Time to go." I looked towards the voice. His mouth was set into a frown. I flicked a handful of gooey brown at him. It splattered against his white shirt. Flecks of the stuff were on his face. I smiled at him innocently.

He growled a little as he wiped it off. "Isabella. Now." I ignored his demands. Imaging he was a chipmunk made me laugh. He rambled in his high-pitched squeaky voice. It was funny. He wasn't as impressed by my imagination skills. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up from my spot. "_Now_," he practically snarled.

I snickered at his commanding tone and grinned his way. His eyes were coal black. My smile grew wider. "Aw, someone's angry." _Boohoo. Cry me a river and drown in it. _One second later, I was looking at the ground. He had thrown me over his shoulder and was hauling me back to his house. His land, as beautiful as it is, was my prison.

When we reached the property, he set me on my feet and gave me a warning look. I fluttered my eyelashes and tried to look like an innocent, obedient child. He didn't even give me a second glance before leaving.

I was confronted by a sneering redhead with dull eyes. Her teeth were barred, and she glowed with what looked like importance. Her stance said angry. And her voice wasn't what I expected; it made me think of little children and lollipops. This woman looked feral. The way she carried herself said she was not.

"You must be the new one." Her voice was dripping with distaste. I knew the venom in her body could drip too. From her neck. _Don't make me start the fire, bitch. _I nodded and answered with just as much disdain as she had. "Yes, I am. You're the old one, right?"

Her expression was murderous. I could have laughed in her face. I would have. But it didn't think it would be too wise to start another fight. I was already under the King's eye as it was. No need to draw more attention. "_I _am Nikkie. And I don't care who you are." My fists clenched and I felt my lips curl into a smile.

_Come on, Bella. Don't rise to the bait. Stay cool. Be calm. _I took a deep breath in and held it there. It was uncomfortable, but right now I had more to worry about than my comfortableness. She continued to talk in her little girl voice. I wanted to chop her in the throat. I had to hold my hand down to keep it from reaching out subconsciously.

"The Major is a little smitten with you. It's all over the compound. You're new, so no one expected you to last long. The Major is an irresistible man," she said with a dreamy look on her face. I had the feeling she liked having random sex whenever he wanted and being controlled. Gag here.

I waved a hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her reverie. "Um, yeah, hi. Me again. Getting a little bored here. Wanna speed this up?"

She looked annoyed. "My point is, I want this," she gestured between what I assumed was his office and me, "to stop. The Major is mine. One day he will realize I am his true mate." Mate? What was that? "Until then, stay out of trouble and stay out of his way. Clear?"

_Oh, if only she was human. I would make her scream for mercy. _"Crystal."

She wanted me to stay away from him. I was more than happy too. The man seemed to have the opposite thoughts. He was a stalker. And vampire stalkers are never good. He was my escort to town. He kept a close eye on me. I was being watched, and I didn't like it one bit.

I confronted him. To add to the aggravation I hoped to get, I messed up my hair and got grass stains all over my shirt. My pants were crusted with pond water and frog guts. "Spying isn't nice. What if you saw me naked? I would never live down the embarrassment."

I wondered how much the smell of frog was bothering him. I hoped it was a hell of a lot. He didn't look up from his papers. "I'm sure you'll survive."

I was shocked. No order. No comment on my appearance. He was having an actual conversation with me. I eyed him carefully. "Who are you and what have you done with the jackass that kidnapped me." He snorted a little. But then he was normal again, face stoic and everything. He waved me away.

I shrugged and started walking. Ah well. Something happened. At least I learned he isn't just a moving stone. Just a cruel asshole. Didn't make me hate him any less.

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><p>The gossip train about me died down after a week. Things were quiet again. Zak tried to teach me a couple things, but I refused to absorb any of the information. <em>Be polite. Use your manners. Do not speak unless he says you may. <em>In his dreams would I submit to this kind of behavior. Over his dead body.

I hunted some more, happily without his supervision. This time I had Jonah. He was strong and silent. Straight black hair that gathered at the nape of his neck. Gold eyes that reminded me of frozen honey. They were startling, but I asked no questions. I didn't want to embarrass him. He didn't talk to me, although I chattered away to him.

"You know, things would be easier without him going all Commander Sergeant on me all the time. I mean, rules aren't always necessary. What about fun? What about games? What about freedom?" He offered no words to my rant. "If he just stopped being such an asshole all the time and learned to lighten up a bit, maybe he wouldn't be so stupid." He raised an eyebrow, but didn't speak. His mouth was pulled into a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, like you've never thought it yourself. Admit it. He's a major jackass." Jonah shrugged. It was something, at least. Someone around here wasn't afraid to speak about the man. Good. I wished I could push some spines into these people. Didn't the black market sell them?

Jonah pointed to an alley. I raised an eyebrow at him. He placed two hands on my shoulders and gently turned me. I concentrated hard in the darkness, until I saw it. Two humans. They were prostitutes. One was dressed in a ripped red dress that clung to her body and barely covered her breasts. The other was more modest in her clothing, wearing a tank top and very short shorts.

I looked up at him. "Which one do you want?" I asked. I was being polite, for once in my life. I had manners. I just tossed them out the window whenever Mr. Major was around. He shook his head. My mouth almost opened. He was either generously giving me his share or he didn't drink. If it was the second one, I would go into shock.

The one in the dress licked her lips when she saw me coming. "Hey gorgeous," she purred. "What'll it be?" I pulled her close to me and fingered the hem of her dress before placing a kiss right behind her ear. My teeth grazed the lobe. I heard her breathing hitch and her heat beat faster. Lesbian prostitutes. I'd seen everything.

I looked over to the entrance of the alley. Jonah was nowhere to be seen. I shrugged. His loss. I sunk my teeth into her neck. She gave a gasp before she began screaming. I slapped a hand over her mouth, muffling her noise. She tasted like graham crackers. Her blood was laced with drugs, which made it taste dull, but she was no less satisfying.

The other one approached me fearlessly. I smirked a little. She sat down, her back to me, and swept her long hair to one side, exposing her neck. "Please," she begged breathlessly. I could smell the saltwater tears that leaked from her eyes. "Kill me. I've been waiting for someone to do it for years. Please."

Her voice trembled, but she did not. She was serious. She wanted to die. My dead heart stuttered. I wouldn't doom this existence on anyone. Wandering the Earth for years, never dying. It wasn't a picnic on a nice summer day, but it wasn't a freezing winter with no food either.

I crouched down to her level and lightly traced my fingers on her collarbone. Her veins pumped blood under the membrane. I could already smell she was clean; not a drop of drug in her system. I gently sunk my teeth into her flesh. I could taste the sweet blood that emptied into my mouth and splattered on my clothes. I sucked and drank until she was bone dry.

Her corpse was laid on the ground by my feet. She hadn't made a sound. She had smiled and relaxed. I'd never seen anything like it.

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><p>Jonah drank from animals. I could smell the bitter stench on his clothes. A stray dog near starvation. A dying cat. A deer with a broken leg. Their bodies were buried in the ground, where no one would find them. He only drank from animals that were closer to death than they should have been. I was impressed. It took a lot to control blood lust. I should know.<p>

He was a strange man indeed. He spent his days disappearing from everyone's sight. His nights were spent watching movies, and they always had to be based on a book. He had a collection of stamps that rivaled even the most serious of collectors. And under his bed was a large jar of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half-dollars.

Jonah was a strange man, most definitely. But his relationship with the Major Asshole was interesting. He wasn't treated like scum. Or a slave. Or anything remotely degrading. He was embraced, like an old friend. As far as I could tell, Jonah still didn't talk. But he could whistle. I heard him whistling to himself sometimes. It was always the same tune.

I didn't keep track of days here. It was a waste of time and energy. Why bother wondering what time it was. They were only numbers. I only needed two things to tell me which was which. The moon meant it was night. The sun meant it was day. Simple.

I was bored. I had nothing to do. Zak was talking to a group of girls in our room. I didn't feel like interrupting or being bombarded with questions. Zak I knew. Those girls I did not.

I wandered around until I found his office. I opened it and sat in a fluffy armchair that hadn't been here my first time. It was soft and comfortable. The material itself was an royal blue. One color. I had the feeling he was more of simpleton. He didn't look at me, although I could tell he knew I was here. He kept writing whatever it was he was writing. I didn't know. But now I was curious.

I walked over slowly before going behind his desk. "You know, curiosity killed the cat." His voice rang out. "But satisfaction brought him back," I countered. His lips twitched again. "Do you have a thing against smiling? Just asking."

He sighed and put own the pen. "No. I have a thing against ignorant women who keep me from my work. So, good-bye."

I smirked and sat on his desk. Annoying him would lead to a fight. Fighting would help me release my emotions. I would be all better after we were each missing a couple body parts. Maybe I would even start a fire with his desk. I could whoop a war cry and toss him in. The fireplace was too small.

He looked up at me. Annoyance was clear on his face. _Ah, there we go. _I could feel the tension in the room. Or maybe that was just the need for a good, rousing fight hat had me on edge. Either way, I could tell we would be.

He sighed. Without a second word, I was hoisted over his shoulder. Plant-life blurred around me. It was all greens and browns. I looked up. Splotches of blue and white entertained me. I made my own clouds in my mind and imagined what they looked like.

He stopped. I dropped. Grass tickled my face. Mud caked my clothes and thickened my hair. I removed some from my neck. The asshole had thrown me off his shoulder. Jerk. I growled. He smirked. "Take your anger out on everything but me."

And he was gone. Just like that. I punched at the dirt. Fucker.

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><p><strong>AN:<br>**I think they're making progress. At least, as much as Bella and Jasper can. She wanted a good rousing fight. And just when she thought she would get it, BAM! He drops her in the middle of nowhere. I don't want them to like each other too quickly, though. That would make this completely unrealistic.

Jonah is weird. He might be on Bella's side. Or maybe Jasper's. Wait and see.

Reviews are like seeing Bella and Jasper fight by a roaring fire. You know you all want it. Who do you think would win? My money's on Miss Bella. See ya next update!

**Reviewers of Last Chapter: **NatalieLynn, MsPeaceHope, BrittaniBruiser, cassera28, TwilightAddict71484, Ally's Angel's, charlottewhitlock, Themys, Insert-dramatic-PenName, KittyAsrai, aixa00, Galveston's Daughter, wendy1969, Kathy Hiester, amandaR29, TwiHeartLover


	5. Chapter 5: Small Revelations

_Hey guys. Sorry. This chapter would have been out sooner, if not for the stupid computer configurations. I would never get the chance to save my writing, so I had to rewrite this about 3 times now. Talk about your deja-vu. _

_Jonah is interesting, huh. And Jasper sure knows how to get under her skin. Thanks for all the reviews, guys. 70 of 'em in only 4 chapters. It's madness. Seriously, if I could I would hug all of you. Only a brief one, though. I'm not all creepy stalker or nothing. ;D_

_Reviewers, all names will be in the ending AN.  
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**Major thanks to DJ for beta-ing, and Cal for prereading. Love ya ladies. ;)_  
><em>**

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. Mature subjects. Some sexist views. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 5 - Small Revelations<p>

I kicked at trees. Punched at dirt. Flung mud ever which way. I was pissed. He had dropped me in the middle of nowhere. Like a misbehaving child forced into time-out. Anger soaked itself into my soul. I craved a fight more than anything now.

I could smell something. Oregano and honey. Jonah. He'd been sent to watch me. Another reminder of my captivity. My inner beast roared. I wanted a swing at him. Punch him. Bite. Kick. Every fiber of my being ached to tear him limb from limb. I would toss him into a volcano and wave goodbye as he roasted.

I sniffed the air. His scent still lingered. I growled as it reached my nose. Jonah had not yet approached me, though I knew he would. The man didn't speak, but he had a way of communicating that made you listen. Unlike someone else._ Everyone else listens. You refuse._

I was rebellious, I admit. I had lived for years with nothing more than important, useful skills and myself for company. I did things my way. I drank when I wanted to. I was my own boss and I would accept no one else. A cold hand touched my shoulder and pulled me out of my thoughts. The only one who would dare touch me. I turned around.

Jonah was staring at me. His brow was furrowed, and he had a look of concentration on his face. No. Concern. He worried about me. I could understand why. I had just ruined a small part of the forest. Albeit, I was a vampire. It was expected. I guess.

I followed the smell of citrus and lemons. It lead to an old cabin. I wrapped my shield around my mind and clung to it. Emotions had something to do with neural systems and impulses. A small amount of hope was activated as I crept forward. Leaves littered the ground nearby, making it almost impossible to sneak a peek. I jumped into the trees and danced onto different branches. A few hops later, I was back on the ground. I looked through the window.

"Oh, Major!" she cried out. My enhanced hearing made the noise louder. I winced. This was no punishment. This was for pleasure. I left. I didn't have the patience to deal with it. I wanted to burn that bitch. She deserved it. I would throw her ass in a pool of lava and watch her sink.

Nikkie got what she wanted. He was a man-whore. She was a catty, slutty little piece of shit. They belonged together. It was the perfect arrangement. It practically screamed perfection. Wonderful. Fucking awesome.

I heard it. Thumping. Moaning. It was coming from the west. I ran. My legs acted instantly when I expressed my need for escape. I came across another cabin. My nose wrinkled at the smell of sweat on the two lovers bodies. Frenzied emotions made their blood pump faster. I didn't wait. I burst through the window. Glass shattered. Screams ensued. I threw the girl into the wall.

The boy was first. He had bright blue eyes and sandy brown hair. His body trembled. I could smell the semen on him. He was completely naked. Too frozen to move. His now flaccid dick drooped. I could see every single pubic hair in his area. I smiled coldly. I was too angry to care about the lives I was ending. Why would I.

_Attack. Bite. Muffle. Drink._ I went through the motions in a daze. My mind was more focused on her. Nikkie. What had she meant by mates? And what part did he play in her plan? I didn't understand. I wasn't sure I wanted to. He held power over everyone who lived on his land. She was nothing more than a slutty sex toy.

My meal was dry. I pushed him off me and went to the girls body. She was still out cold. Blond hair. I pulled back an eyelid. Blue eyes. Of course. _Bite. Drink._ She didn't even wake up. Muffling any screams was unnecessary. I drank. Her pulse left. Blood stopped flowing. She was done.

I pulled their bodies to the back of the wood house. Dug a hole. Pushed them in. Buried them. I was messy with the prostitutes. I'd left them buried in a local park. Careless. I didn't have enough time. People were coming. Looking for them, I suppose. I didn't know. I didn't care. I didn't matter. Not anymore.

Jonah found me. He had splotches of red on his white and green checkered shirt. I could smell bear blood on him. His hair had crumbs of dirt in it. A small patch of fur was stuck to his face. I grinned despite myself. He was a mess. It made me feel slightly better.

Without warning, his arms wrapped around me and held me against him. He was hugging me. I was startled at first. After thawing out, I hugged him back. He smiled at me and looked up. The sun was shining. The sky was bare. Not a cloud in sight. He took me by the arm and dragged me to a field.

Tall ferns waved in the light breeze. There were pretty blue flowers everywhere. The edges of the grassy discovery were covered by trees. Jonah dropped my arm and fell backwards, arms behind his head. He closed his eyes and laid there. I was paid no attention.

I sat next to him and listened to the sounds of the wind. It blew around my hair and made gusts of air puff out my clothes. I laughed and Jonah smiled. For a second I forgot about being kidnapped. For a second I didn't care about the Major and his fuck-buddy or all the things that made me upset.

For a second I was just Bella.

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><p>I returned to the compound days later. Everyone stared. No one spoke. Jonah stayed close. I felt caged. It made me anxious and paranoid. Nikkie stood in a circle with another group of girls. She smirked at me. Familiar anger set in once again. Several people lounged in the dirt. Not a thing was said when I passed.<p>

I found the nearest body of water and dived.

I swam around like a fish. My hair was all over the place. I smiled. My shirt felt heavy. My shorts were holding me down. I sat on the bottom of the pool and looked up, watching as the ripples distorted the world above me.

Someone was sitting at the edge of the water. I stood up and swam to the top. Back to the air-filled world. Without looking at them, I climbed out and rung my hair. I was soaked from head to toe and it filled me with an unexplained amount of glee.

A girl with long red hair remained. She had wide green eyes and small explosions of freckles over her pale face. Her gaze at the water was broken. She looked up at me and smiled. Strands of bright red blew into her face.

Her scent hit me hard. She smelled wonderful. Like apples. Fresh apples. I felt my blood-lust taking over. Before I could utter a sound, I ran. I ran for miles. When I finally stopped, I took in a breath. Clean. It was polluted by the scent of dead animal, but there was no human near here.

I took a deep breath. Bitchy Bella mentally chastised me. _You shouldn't have ran. You're weak. Staying here has turned you soft. That girl is food. A snack. Drink her and bury her. _I started running again. Trees blurred and the sound of my feet hitting soft earth blended into the nature sounds. My mind wandered. Nikkie was no different from an animal. Staking her territory. Claiming her prey. I growled just thinking about her. Slut.

Jonah found me. He was a good stalker, I'd give him that. What I couldn't get through my thick skull was why he cared. I didn't know him. He sure as hell didn't know me. I would have remembered a face like his, even through my fuzzy human memories. He didn't speak. I didn't pretend to like him.

A cold hand on my shoulder. It was a familiar gesture. Strong arms wrapped around me. He was hugging me. I returned the physical affection. He was one of the few who would stay around me and not flinch everytime I moved. I enjoyed his company, although I would kill anyone who suggested it.

"Don't doubt yourself so much." I looked up to the direction of the voice. Jonah was staring at me intently. He was mute. He couldn't have talked. "Thought I heard you speak," I muttered, mostly to myself. Must have been my conscience.

He moved back and placed his fingers to my forehead. _...and the moment is over. _I was about to speak when he brought a finger to his lips. He closed his eyes.

A picture flickered through my head. It was me. I was sitting in the field. The breeze was blowing my hair, and my face was tilted up to the shining sun. I was smiling, eyes closed. Happy. It disappeared when he removed his hand. My jaw was collecting dust. Jonah had a gift. What was that? The past? The future?

I was going to say something when he shushed me again. With a smile, he placed his fingers lightly on my head. Two images ran through my mind, clear as the blue sky.

One was of a family. A young boy, ten years at most, with dark brown hair and captivating blue eyes. A young girl was next to him, about eight or nine, playing with a doll; she had honey gold locks and dark hazel irises. Behind her was another set of man and woman, older, most likely the parents. The woman had pale blond hair and dark blue eyes. The man stood with authority, dark brown hair like the boy, and beady brown eyes.

The next was of a woman. She was wearing a dark green dress. Her dirty blond hair was shoulder-length, and gold eyes stared forward. Jonah was standing next to her, grinning as wide as she was. I understood when I saw him lightly kiss her lips.

It dissipated quickly. Zak had a gift, Jonah had a gift. I had one as well, although mine was nothing compared to theirs. _The Major is part of this group._

Gears whirred. Fear ran through my icy veins. I had a gift. As did Zak, as did Jonah. As did the Major. As did probably many others. I wasn't alone. I was never alone. We were here _because _of our gifts. The unanswered question was why.

I looked at Jonah. Something twinkled in his eyes. Something told me I was the only one who knew of his gift. He was powerful. He had penetrated my shield. That itself was a great feat. My shield was thought to be impenetrable. I still couldn't turn the damn think off, but it was getting stronger. Or so I'd thought.

Suspicion came in the form of my blond kidnapper. We talked the next day. "You are not to be here tomorrow."

I was playing in the dirt and carving my names on trees when he spoke. I grimaced. "Planning on selling me away to some white folks, master?" His eyes narrowed. He growled a little. I splattered the grimy liquid all over his nice white pants. Served him right.

He muttered something too low for me to hear, but then addressed me. "No. My family is visiting. I want you gone." I looked up at him. He was joking, right? There was no way I would pass this up. None. At all.

"When are they coming?" I sounded innocent enough. "Around dawn." I smirked in his direction and got up. I brushed off my shirt with muddy hands, which only dirtied it more. "I'll be sure to introduce myself."

And with that said, I walked away.

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><p><strong>AN:<br>**Okay, so I just wanna clear some things up. I've read way too many stories where Bella, vampire or human, is kidnapped and after fighting for a little, just gives in and accepts fate. My Bella? Hell no. She's going down kicking and screaming.

So, family visits are always a little crazy. Anyone else? I know mine are. All those relatives, over-lapping conversations, little kids running around. Fun, but exhausting all the same.

Anyways, you guys know my normal parting words. Blah blah blah, new chapter next week, blah blah blah, please review. And **genuinef250**, I promise, Jasper will have his say soon. What kind of story would I be writing if we didn't hear from the blond kidnapper?

See ya guys. Bye!

**Reviewers of Last Chapter: **Insert-dramatic-PenName, roon0, LeahHeartsTomRiddle, genuinef250, Midnight-rose19, leezerlisa, wendy1969, BrittaniBruiser, TwilightAddict71484, Emo Gril, ladybugff, lolvampirebookworm2000, 1dreamkeeper, aixa00, Galveston's Daughter, AlyssaMarie4eva, Themys, The BlackOne23, jagnic233, 5starbarbie, KittyAsrai


	6. Chapter 6: Family

_Hey all. Sorry this was so late. The hurricane did something to my internet out here. Crazy.  
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_Ugh. This week has been frustrating. Started school back up. Junior year. Still getting used to being in school for most of the day again. Schedule changes. Making new friends. Ignoring old enemies. Finding old crushes. Making new ones. Being tired already. Ugh. High school sucks.  
><em>

_Anyways, thanks for all the reviews, you guys. We've only hit Chapter 5, and I'm close to 100. Geez. You people must really like this story. Enough with my rambling. If you're still reading this, you must enjoy hearing about my personal life too. _

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._**  
><strong>

**Thanks to DJ for beta-ing, and Cal for reading beforehand. Much thanks to Amy and Erika, who recommended to everyone they knew.**_  
><em>

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. Mature subjects. Some sexist views. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 6 - Family<p>

Lightning lit up the night sky like a electric current. The sky opened and let loose a flood. It was thundering and pouring and I spun around in the rain in circles, my mouth open and laughter escaping me. I ran, and ran, and ran. Water displacement had the drops splashing from an unseen force. A steep hill had me smiling with childish glee.

With a running start, I leapt a foot into the air only to come crashing down. My body rolled down the hill. I could hear the squishing of the softened earth underneath me as I tumbled down, and down, and down to a stop. I splashed as I landed in what felt like a shallow lake.

I threw myself into the large puddles I found in the grass. The cool rain showered me, and mud covered my clothes. I was drenched from head to toe. The brown mixture stuck itself to my face. Clumps of wet dirt and small pebbles were rooted in my hair. It was wonderful. A clap of thunder agreed with me.

I played by myself in a muddy puddle, hitting trees and bushes alike with soppy wet clay. My mind wandered to my brooding kidnapper. What would his so-called family be like? Were they anything like he was? They would have to be to put up with him. I could imagine it now. Barking orders. Filing paperwork. They would as dull and boring as he was.

Rain stopped. Clouds moved. I could see the small beacons of sun peeking out from behind the darkness. Dawn was approaching. I got up. Water dripped from me like a leaking faucet. I pouted at the thunderstorm ending. Darn. It was such a nice one too.

I shook myself like a wet dog would after a bath. Encrusted dirt would soon dry all over me. My face, my hands, my hair, my arms. It was everywhere and I couldn't get enough of it. I climbed a tall sycamore and sat on the thickest limb. Jonah was laying a branch above, eye closed. He hadn't appeared to acknowledge my presence. That was fine. I was content to sit in silence.

Rays of sun blinded me. Animals awoke. Birds twittered. Squirrels scurried. I could hear a yawning mountain lion somewhere to the east. Everything was waking itself at the sight of the orange orb. Jonah sat up and shifted, moving closer to the trunk of the tree.

I looked out over the horizon. The sun seemed to be winking at me. The wind blew a gentle breeze my way, cooling the stirrings of anger I felt. The shift in direction caused four distinctly new smells to waft my way. They were definitely different from the everyday old ones.

Perfume. Sweet lilies. Buttered popcorn. Medicine. Nail polish. Oak trees. Onion grass. Metal. Their scents differed from one another, and more importantly, from _his_. He smelled nothing like them. His scent was made from a multitude of smells and a variety of fragrances. _Pine needles. Maple syrup. Rubber. New books. Saltwater. All wrapped in citrus and lemon. _

Jonah looked at me. A hand reached out to touch my arm. The briefest image went through my mind. It was of a young Adonis, beautiful, like all others of our kind. His skin sparkled like a thousand diamonds in the sunlight. A smile played at his lips. Bronze hair stuck up all over his head. A pair of gold eyes stared at me, looking into my soul.

The hand retreated. The man disappeared. My brain was too fuzzy to react. I was left to blink and wonder who I had just seen. Jonah was already gone. I could hear him jumping through the trees. I didn't even have the good instinct to go after him. I sat there in wonder.

Who had that man been? Why did he create such a reaction in me? _How _did he create it? What could make him so important that Jonah felt he should show me?

I ran back to the house. The old woman. She was going upstairs. She told the girl to be careful. Alyssa, she called her. I peeked in. Red hair in a single braid that ran down her back. A metal spoon clinked noisily against a porcelain bowl. I walked in slowly. The floorboard creaked. She turned around in her seat a little.

Shining emeralds stared back at me. She smiled. "Hi. I remember you. I saw you swimming in the pool." I nodded. She kept talking. "You looked happy down there. My grandma says that whatever you're happy doing is what you should keep doing. You should keep swimming. I like swimming. We should swim together sometime. It'll be fun."

She was talking about swimming. I found it difficult to be annoyed with her endless rambling. Her green eyes were shining brightly as she spoke, gesturing wildly and babbling. I smiled against my will when she mentioned that she wished she could swim with her clothes on too.

"Miss Alyssa," I heard a voice from the doorway. "Could me and Miss Isabella have a moment, please?" Her eyes darkened as she nodded. I noticed she didn't swoon when he spoke. Her heart didn't increase and her breathing didn't falter. "Yes, sir. Goodbye, Miss Isabella." Before I had the chance to correct her, she was out the room, walking through the backdoor and out into the forest.

"She could get hurt out there. You should have sent someone to go with her." His expression didn't change. She was human. We were vampires. We drank her kind for breakfast. "She is human, for fucks sake! Did it ever occur to you she could fucking die out there?"

I was about to turn for the door when I heard him speak again. "She will be fine. Jonah will keep a close eye on her. Everyone knows she is not to be threatened. The child will be alright. She can care for herself."

His voice was monotone. Bland. Boring. He spoke with a dull taste and didn't seem to care too much. My hands curled into fists. I wanted to punch him so hard the diamonds flew off his body. They would fall to the ground and be discovered by a group of greedy humans eventually.

I didn't wish to speak with him any longer. I walked up the stairs and down the halls until I came to the room I had been given. I refused to call it my room. It wasn't mine. I didn't own it anymore than he owned me.

The entire house was empty, save Jonah and Mr. Stick-Up-The-Ass. This depressed me. _He_ was a waste of space, in my opinion. Jonah was good company, but he didn't speak. He showed me images. People, places, things. I had no clue what era he was from, or where specifically he'd been found. If I didn't know that, I didn't know him.

Something bounced on the bed. I turned to look. _Blood. Kill. Drink. _The girl. Alyssa. _She smells heavenly. Just a nibble... _She was laying on it. Jonah was sitting on the floor by my feet. "Hi, Miss Isabella." She spoke. I smiled and nodded. "Hello, Miss Alyssa. How was your walk?"

Unlike others in this place, she denied nothing. "It was fun. I saw a squirrel and some deer and Jonah showed me how to kill a bear without getting blood all over me. Then we climbed trees until Jasper said to come inside."

_Jasper? _"Who is Jasper?" I asked. I hadn't detected anyone else in my proximity. "You know him as the Major," she sighed, relaxing into the plush pillows. Ah. _He_ came with a name now. _Jasper. _Smooth as sandpaper, soft as broken glass. He constantly grated on my nerves, and now I had something on him.

My brain finally caught up to everything she'd said. Kill a bear? Why would she need to know how to kill a bear?

I looked down at Jonah. He placed a hand on my ankle. The image rushed through. Alyssa, red hair long and flowing, gleaming topaz gold eyes. She was older, slimmer. Her skin sparkled. She was climbing trees and running around in thunderstorms. I smiled. She reminded me of me. It dissipated. I was left staring at the ceiling.

"Miss Bella?" she tugged on my shirt. My eyes flew to her own. I hadn't told her to call me Bella. How she had known eluded me. _Gifted. _Of course. She had to be. _"The child will be alright. She can care for herself." _Had that been what he meant? She was gifted? She sure as hell didn't show it.

Petite footsteps came from above me. I walked upstairs slowly. If someone was destroying Jasper, I wanted to be there to cheer them on. What I saw instead was something completely different.

A black-haired girl the size of a pixie was clinging to him. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and his hands clutched onto her ass like she was the last woman alive. Her hands were wrapped in his hair and his mouth was attached to her neck. I sped out of the room. They didn't notice.

I hauled ass back to my personal forest. Trees laid uprooted. Dirt was covering shrubs and burying grass. It was hard to believe I had caused this damage. I kicked at a tree. I was bored and had nothing to do. Killing was my best bet for entertainment right now. I just didn't feel like it.

Bright rays of sun put me in the center of the spotlight. I laid back and closed my eyes. The wind whispered. The grass swayed. I was stuck in my own little world. "Hello," the deep voice spoke quietly. My eyes flashed open. I hadn't even known he was there.

With a snarl, I leapt up, ready for a fight. He held his hands up in surrender, staying away from me. Venom caught in my throat. Bronze hair. Gold eyes. Pink lips. _The man from Jonah's picture. _He'd met this man before. He had to have.

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><p>I learnt the bronze-haired man was Edward, a member of the Cullens. They were Jasper's family. I didn't believe in families. I believe in strong ties and maybe feelings for people other than yourself. But families were merely composed of people who used each other for what they lacked in character or physical appearance.<p>

He was a mind-reader. He had a wide range of thoughts to choose from, and only understood what was going through your head at that moment. I thanked the stars for my own mental shield. It would have been embarrassing enough to have him knowing what was going through my head at the time.

A woman with caramel hair was Esme. She was the mother hen of the group. Kind, friendly, understanding. If I wasn't so callous, I would have hugged her. Carlisle was the appropriate father-figure. He was stern, yet gentle. Understanding, yet demanding of explanation. He was not keen on violence, nor was his wife.

The black-haired pixie was Alice. Another gifted vampire, clairvoyance. She irked me. Had they not just arrived before throwing herself at him? Ugh. This place had enough harlots to go around. Others stopped by sometimes. Humans, I should say. When he was feeling peckish, he fucked and then sucked.

"What is a mate?" I asked. I felt like a fool for displaying my ignorance. Edward sighed and smiled peacefully. "Your mate is the person who you feel the strongest feelings for. Love. Lust. Protection. Your mate is your other half, the person you belong with." I though for a moment. "Like a true love."

He nodded. "Exactly."

We sat in silence. I sniffed at the air. His scent was wafting towards me. Cherries. Oak wood. Yum. I smelled something else. Coming towards us. Nail polish and perfume. Alice. I looked towards Edward, uneasy about being left with her.

Alice arrived. She was tight leather pants and small sequined tops and black high heels. An instant dislike for her formed in my mind. Edward left. I hoped he didn't mind getting his sister back in bits and pieces.

"Hello Bella." Her voice itself was a finely-tuned instrument, hitting the right chords and notes at the appropriate times. She smiled at me. I scowled at her. I would not like her. I wouldn't. Her gold eyes twinkled. Her button nose twitched. "I know all about your whole kill her and bury her thing, Bella. I know what you think you saw. And please, let me explain before you try to tear me apart."

I growled under my breath and sat on an overturned tree. She sat next to me, arms length. For me, it was too close. "Jasper tends to get...frustrated. Incredibly easily. Basically, he's a horny, moody, controlling vampire. When he doesn't like his options, he goes for me. I've always offered to help him if he needed it."

Her explanation too the fight right out of me. "You know, Jasper only does the whole neck sucking thing when he's been denied something he wants. My guess is that something is you." I shook my head and snarled at her. The thought of me and him together should have been considered illegal. Not now, nor would I ever, put myself close to him in that sense.

The only form of closeness I wanted was to be close enough to rip off his head.

Her eyes were glazed over. She snapped out of her reverie quickly and turned to me. "Ah. Thanks Bella. Hopefully, you'll change your mind about that blue dress." And she was gone. Poof. _Gone with the wind._

I kicked the tree. It rocketed forward into another one. I punched at the dirt. Frustration was creeping into my joints. I wanted a fight. Fighting solved everything. You learned what people really thought about you when you fought them.

I flew into the dirt a second later. Standing over me was Jonah. He quirked an eyebrow and beckoned me over, the way they did in Kung-fu movies. Anger poured out of me. I ran and tripped him, sweeping a leg under his own. He hit the ground and made a resounding boom through the area.

Before I could consider my next move, his hand had grabbed my ankle and I was on the ground as well. He grabbed a chunk of grass and tossed it at me. I scattered in the wind, a few pieces catching my hair. I laughed and grabbed my own handful, throwing it at him and running.

He caught up to me quickly. Wrapping his hands around my waist, he pulled me back and crushed me against his chest. I responded by wrapping my arms around his torso. We hugged. It felt stranger everyday.

He licked the front of my forehead. I laughed. "It's good to hear you laugh."

I froze and looked up. Jonah was smirking at me again. I stared in shock. He sighed. "You people have got to stop assuming I'm mute."

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><p><strong>AN:<br>**Hey. Yeah, I know, I know, should've been done earlier. Sorry. School has been playing on my nerves and creativity this week. Oh, and _genuinef250_, you didn't hound me, so no worries. Anyways, be prepared for next week. Jasper is up to bat, and boy is he swinging!

[Little excerpt from next week.] _**"Cruel fate. That was what it was. The universe was laughing at me. I found an enticing, incredibly sexy woman that I should be worshiping all day and night. And she hates me. Because I kidnapped her. I'm a screw-up. Irony is a fucking bitch. I hate everyone."  
><strong>_

He sounds a little depressed. Can vamps be depressed? O.o... Alright. Hope you all tune in next week, and enjoy your Labor Day Weekend everyone! :D

**Reviewers of the Last Chapter: **aixa00, wendy1969, Kitty Asrai, Insert-dramatic-PenName, roon0, BrittaniBrusier, natashar, Galveston's Daughter, Pebblish, genuinef250, TwilightAddict71484, 1dreamkeeper, 01katie, Themys, NatalieLynn_**  
><strong>_


	7. Chapter 7: Back Then

_Oh. My. Fuck. Over 100 reviews? You guys rock. Keep this up and I might become spoiled. I never thought I would hit the hundred mark this quick. Thanks to everyone who reviews. Your comments on the chapters make me laugh and inspire me.  
><em>

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._**  
><strong>

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and Amy for prereading. **_  
><em>

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. Mature subjects. Some sexist views. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

_"italics" = _Old Jasper memory  
><em>italics = <em>thought  
><strong><em>bolditalics _**= "it's" thoughts

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 7 - Back Then<p>

**Jasper**

Humans.

They could be anything to anyone. Parent. Friend. Enemy. Lover. Anyone you encountered on a daily basis. Whether sweet or upsetting. An unavoidable species.

To immortals, they were a snack. Filled with a sweet red liquid that was impossible to resist. Our relationship with them was based solely on hunger. Nothing more. They were a weak, stupid race.

I had been changed sometime during the raging battle called the Civil War. I was young, seventeen years of age by that point, albeit my lie of being older. I was the youngest Major of the cavalry, hell, maybe history. I was cocky and sure of myself and proud; stupid and reckless.

I didn't remember the details of my transformation. In time, the memories became a blur; I barely remembered any fragments of my change to immortality. I could recount small things, however. The burning didn't allow me to focus my attention on much, and over time the remnants disappeared from my mind.

Bright blue flowers. The nickering of a chestnut brown horse. Laughter. The smell of grilled cheese. The sounds of a soft breeze blowing. Small, insignificant details. My past was no more important to me now than it had been back then.

I recalled my newborn stage with reverence. Strong. Fast. Blood-thirsty. A young vampire, volatile and unable to control his hunger. Inexperienced. Unskilled. Incompetent.

Constant stares. Bullshit excuses. I was watched closely. Treated like a mischievous child. Others kept their distance. Perhaps they'd been warned. Good. Stupidity was a disease, and I was trying all sorts of vaccines to get rid of the people who had it.

There are few words to describe the years I spent as a fledgling in the supernatural world. My lessons were simple. Blend in. _"Baby, you need to hide from Daddy when he comes home. Understand?" _Keep your guard up. _"Now, Jasper," she whispered. "Go." _Be aware of your surroundings. I was a quick study; after my first mistake, I was eager to prove myself.

I met Maria. She was confident and smart. More importantly, she was sexy. All it took was the sway of her hips to remind me why I was on her side. I played the role of the misguided puppy. I listened to her commands, questioned a couple, fought a few vampires. All I asked in return was sex. And I got what I wanted.

What Maria wanted was different. She was creating an army. I worried about the Volturi. They would have something to say. She drew attention to our existence in one too many news television sets. I doubted we could pull it off. What I hadn't expected was that Maria would get what she wanted.

She bit them. I trained them. We worked together. I didn't claim her as my mate; there was no such thing for me. I let her use her loose legs as a reward for those who survived. She only requested a few girls, and she said they had to prefer females themselves. With only one bite and some improved eyesight, they were as hooked on her as everyone else.

Except me. I was tired of her already. I disposed of her weak newborns like she asked. I had no qualms as to doing so. I had been raised to be violent. My memories hadn't faded enough for me not to remember.

My father. A belt. _"You little shit!" Smack. Scream. _The ground. _Dirt in my eyes. _Pain. Red. Darkness. Bruises. _"Oh, baby. I told you to hide when your daddy comes home." _Cackling. _"This is how you control your women, boy! Pay attention!" _When I was turned, I killed him for what he did to me.

I killed him for my mother as well. Her screams. His grunts. _"Andrew, please! He's a child! He shouldn't be seeing this!" "He has to. He has to learn. If he doesn't control his woman, he'll be weak. She'll be in control. Like you used to be. But I taught you better." "Andrew, please." "Shut the fuck up, bitch! Take it! I'm in control! Me!" _

I was forced to watch. I couldn't look away. _"One day, boy. One day you'll see. I've been teaching you, like my daddy taught me. You have to learn. Women aren't allowed to be in charge. I won't have any Whitlock thinking such." _

I was a monster. On the inside and out. When I was human, I was already at the age where I was to take over for my father. Teach my own children as he had taught me. I didn't know any other way. I only knew what I had been shown. Being turned only encouraged me.

A good friend of mine was a man named Peter. I'd met him in Maria's army. He was a rather skilled fighter. After one lesson, he could take out more than five men in less than one minute. He learned quick and picked up everything with sharp eyes and good ears.

We were disposing the newborns together. A redhead walked into view. His facial expression changed. He yelled for her to run and chased after her. I never saw them again. Maria was angry. With me. I laughed and told her I was done. I was leaving. She ordered me to stay. Her arms caught my own in an attempt to keep me back

I couldn't stop him. He broke free of the cage. The monster took control. He laughed and took her pretty face in his hands. _"You will do as I say, you little bitch!" _Her fear re-bounced back at me. It was overwhelming. Guilt consumed me. The monster was winning. _Flesh connecting with flesh. Salty tears. Mama. _I tried to fight it. _No! You can't! Stay away! Stay away! _Everything went dark.

Burning. Red. Yellow. Orange. Flames. Smoke. Dirt. Stars. I could smell her remains as they turned to ash. Maria. I had killed her. I buried my face in my hands. **_Do you understand now? You must not resist me, Jasper. We are together. I am dominant. You will listen. You will obey._**

_"You obey me! You do as I say! Do you hear me, Emma? You obey me!" "I'm sorry!" Smack. Smack. Smack. Mommy said she was sorry; Daddy didn't forgive her.  
><em>

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><p>The 1900's began the new chapter of my life. I was summoned to Italy for an audience with the Volturi. They were interested in me. Their tracker escorted me there. Demetri, his name was. I didn't like him. Too much talking. He wasn't very productive in his line of work. He seemed to loathe his bosses.<p>

There were three men, all dressed in robes of black, that sat on thrones on the far end of the room. Marcus and Caius were little threat to me; my assessment proved to be true when they made no comment on my muddy shoes or filthy attire. Aro was the leader of their coven. He was a collector of gifts. And he liked the looks of mine.

I had a gift. One of few blessed with some characteristic prominent enough to come through to immortality. Even in my human life, I held charisma, something that made everyone like me. In trouble at school? I charmed the teachers into not telling my parents. Bullies? No one dared bully me. Girls? I was a gentleman back then. I only looked for one girl._ Not anymore. _

I was an empath. I could feel emotions. Sadness. Anger. Joy. Depression. Love. Lust. I was as hormonal as vampires come. With the aggravating knapsack full of human passions glued to my back, my time of the month was every day.

While there, I met Alice, a girl with shining gold eyes and flickering emotions. She was small, the size of a pixie. I favored the comparison to a hummingbird. She certainly reminded me of one, with the way she zoomed from place to place. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was hyper when she was turned and got stuck that way.

I was observed for a week; in vampire time, it was an hour. I met other immortals, part of the Volturi guard. Jane was an Angel of Death; I could tell from her body language when she heard of my gift. She enjoyed torturing people and being tortured herself - in other words, she was a cruel sadist and into hardcore BDSM.

Alec was the more enjoyable of the twin set; albeit his sister, Jane, liked to use her own talent to cause pain, Alec numbed the senses. People always believed speculations and missed the obvious. People thought his witch sister was the dangerous one of the two. Not at all. It was Alec that posed the real threat.

Jane could enter your mind, make you believe the pain was real. He cut off your senses and eliminated your mind. The key to beating pain was thinking; without a brain, you couldn't.

I wandered the halls of their bat cave, and ran into little Alice wherever I was. I warned her that I had a monster inside me and he could get loose. She laughed and said there was a monster inside us all.

Alice was gifted as well. She'd had her potential when she was human; her death had occurred at an asylum, on the same day of her admittance. Clairvoyance. Psychic. Back then, she was considered crazy; insane enough to believe she could predict the future. Her family placed her in the mental ward and that was the last they saw of her.

When my week was over, Alice and I were great friends. She stuck with me, despite my constant warnings of danger. She invited me to stay with her family. I was curious as to how a coven stayed so tightly-knit. She explained they drank from animals, which kept their eyes gold compared to the common red.

I met them the next day. They lived in a rainy little town named Forks, in Washington state; constant cloud coverings kept their skin from shining and the Volturi from wiping out an entire town. Their interactions with humans were purely recreational habits, in my opinion. They didn't need it. It just made them feel more humane.

Rosalie. She was the blond mega-bitch with the red nails and an attitude. She was raped the night she was turned. Boohoo. I could think of worse ways to die. A surly Goldilocks with an unrestrained temper was of no use to me.

Emmett. He was a big teddy bear that could turn into a growling grizzly when need be. He was fun and games. Everyone thought of him as childish; I didn't agree. I saw a man who exceeded the small-minded notions and set his own limits. I made sure to never snap at him.

Esme. She was the mother hen who doted upon her makeshift family. Her happiness radiated from every corner of the house. It was her beliefs that held them together; while everyone else held the thought that they were eternally damned, she kept strong that they were simply put there for a reason.

Carlisle. The gentle father figure. He was more headstrong than the rest of them, save Esme. His decisions were followed instantly, and when the family was in a crisis, he was who they turned to.

Edward. He grated my nerves and had me keeping my thoughts under lock and key. As if Aro wasn't bad enough. This one didn't even have to touch you. I learned how to block my internal quips and discussions from his prying mind.

Eventually, I grew to like some of the Cullens; Rosalie and Edward just weren't included in that group.

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><p>It was a full moon night. I was journeying into Wyoming for a snack. Three to four humans sated my blood-thirst and kept the monster satisfied; the rest of my diet was animals, which kept my eyes a yellow gold and the Cullens from finding out about my late night activities.<p>

It was incredibly late. I'd already fed on a black-haired child that stuttered over her words; she was still dressed in her Walmart uniform. Another was a young woman, with explosions of freckles across milky white skin and short, stringy blond hair.

I was walking down the street when I spotted her. _Brunette. Curvy. Nice legs. Fine ass. _A young prostitute. _**She will taste heavenly. **_The monster had awoken.

I had stopped fighting it a long time ago. I allowed him to walk to the mini-skirt clad woman and offer her a total of $62 dollars, which was all I had brought in my pockets. She counted the bills, winked, and led me to an abandoned building.

_She wants it too. She's enjoying it._ I rationalize my actions to myself. He doesn't give a fuck. But I do. I can't help the throbbing between my legs, or how intense my desire becomes. I push her against the wall. I have to have her. _Now. _She moans. Her mouth pops open as my hands grip her back and slide down, my palms resting against her ass.

Her mouth attaches to my neck. Fabric rips. I see flesh. I don't focus on the pulse of her blood. My need has become a blind frenzy. She speaks. I don't hear her words. My pants are off in one fluid motion. I shove myself into her. She moans; she accepts what he does. He is rough and uncaring. She takes it and doesn't once say no. He has to have more. His hands grip her tighter, pulling her closer to him.

I thrust faster. Harder. She chants, "Fuck...fuck...fuck...". Her hands grip me closer. Her wetness squishes as I pump faster. She moans out she's going to cum. I don't care. I feel myself getting close. I can feel the pleasure coiling inside, threatening to burst. She screams, and I ignore her, going faster and faster.

I fall off the brink. Ectasy washes over me. The monster retreats. He is satisfied. Sex. Sex was the answer all along. She pants and plops down on the floor. I know what's next. I brush the hair off her neck and start to kiss up.

I find where the pulse is strongest, where the sweet blood flows. My hands quickly grip her head and twists. Snap. She's dead. Her neck is broken.

I sniff inward deeply. My mouth gives her one last kiss before I sink my teeth into her warm flesh.

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><p><strong>AN:<br>**God, that was crazy. He is seriously messed up. Him and Alice should have traded places. That actually seems like a good story idea...

Anyways, what did you guys think? Don't worry, it doesn't end there. Jasper's not done talking. Next chapter will be even more screwed up memories and good ole' fashioned fucking. Fear not. So, yeah. Hope you all enjoyed and reviews would be wonderful.

Reviews are you holding a metal bat and beating the crap out of Jasper's father. Or chainsaw. Whatever floats your boat. *insert evil grin here* Bye!

**Reviewers of the Last Chapter: **wendy1969, Insert-dramatic-PenName, LeahHeartsSirius, WhitlocksHevyn, 01katie, Themys, 5starbarbie, Hisuiko, Mrs. Jim, Galveston's Daughter, darinka, NatalieLynn, leezerlisa, BrittaniBruiser, lousinianagirl900, sinblackrose, genuinef250, dramaqueen11141, lolvampirebookworm2000, JasperWhitlockIsTheStud, ladybugff, TwilightAddict71484, 1dreamkeeper, totally loko x10, chacha73, Anigen, JXB Addicted


	8. Chapter 8: Jolly Old Jasper

_Man, you people sure love Jasper POV. I have it coming for a while. Three chapters. Maybe even some surprise POVs. Anyways, thanks for all the love and reviews. His father certainly explains a few things, don't ya think? _

_Ugh. High school is so annoying. Too much homework for only the 4th week of school. Thank you all for being so patient with me. I know how it feels to wait for a chapter of the story you like and try to send telepathic messages to the author in the hopes that they hear. Or maybe I only do that? Meh. Who knows._

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._**  
><strong>

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and Amy for prereading. **_  
><em>

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 8 - Jolly Old Jasper<p>

**Jasper**

**Feburary**

Wyatt Myrtle Preparatory School. It was located in a small town on the edge of Wyoming.

The Cullens decided to move away, out of Forks to keep the breakable playthings from growing suspicious; I chose to go with them, seeing as how my own coven was invisible from everyone, including me. Although I stayed out of the United States for hunting, I had seen the news in Canada. Prostitutes, being drained and buried. It was certainly enough to baffle the police.

But not the Cullens. No. Edward told a little white lie and said he read my mind and knew I'd done it. His family followed him around like a puppy does his master; smart enough to know their own potential, stupid enough to let another lead them. They believed him and instantly chastised me. What was I thinking? Didn't I understand how this impacted them? Us?

It was more appropriate to think of them as cattle for the herding. They trusted Edward's judgement because he could get a flicker into your mind. I wanted to laugh at their complete and utter belief that this boy would be honest with them. Boy. He was no man. Real men didn't rely on their gifts to do the talking. No. I didn't, and anyone who did was no man in my book.

Edward was set in a position of power, almost like the Volturi. He could say what he wanted about me, and I could do nothing; no one expected the sadist would have feelings and emotions. No. He only felt others. They were a rebound off of other peoples feelings and thoughts.

I remember feeling repulsed the first time Rosalie mentioned the word. I was no sadist. But he was. My father. The monster. I tried to keep them both locked in a cage in the back of my mind. So far, neither stayed put.

Rosalie. She was one of the prime pieces. Number 2 in my book of the _Most Hated List_. Mutuality was on my side, being that she hated me too. Her snide comments usually had me snapping some of my own. She was a disappointment. She was weak. Stupid. Her constant need for brushing her hair and applying make-up was only based off her own insecurities regarding beauty and Emmett's attention.

"You draw too much attention to our family. Leave. You don't belong with us anyway." I smirked. "You should try some new lipstick. I bet it would make Emmett notice you more." If she could have blushed, she probably would have. She scurried back to her shared room with her hubby and went to put more crap on her face.

It wasn't my fault she paraded around me wearing a pretty blue target I happened to spot. Maybe if she removed the princess dress we could have fun once in a while. Emmett was used to the back and forth between me and his wife. She thought I was stupid, inconsiderate, and psychopathic. I thought he could find a better blond bitch than the one he had. Rosalie didn't like that too much. Her fighting attempts cost her a hand.

I thought it was funny. Captain Hook didn't see my humor. She knew better now. She often got upset with Emmett when he refused to fight me. I didn't see what was so upsetting. Em was smart. He would rather live with an angry wife then know he might get teared limb from limb.

Edward. He was number 1 and annoying as hell. He infuriated me to no end. He had never learned the definition of the word privacy. He was a snoop and the family excused him for it by stating he had no control; I knew I couldn't protest, seeing as how difficult it was for me to stick to their particular dietary supplements.

The one I could count on was Emmett. Rosalie was on Edward's side if it got me put out of the family. Carlisle and Esme would always be supportive of their golden child. Alice found Edward too important to go against. Emmett didn't always fall for the inner voice trick that was put on. He knew your emotions were much more honest than your thoughts. We slipped Edward's radar by thinking under other thoughts. Anyone else could easily do the same.

Carlisle wouldn't admit that Edward's gift had weak spots. He claimed it just needed to be strengthened. But his overbearing parental feelings towards Edward clouded his judgements.

Story short, we moved. I was invited to come along, so I did. Now we lived in some town in Wyoming, and had to attend a new school. I grimaced at the thought of being near so many blood bags and not being able to take a nibble. It was like a human attending a barbecue and being told they couldn't eat any food.

My uniform was the school colors, blue and gold, which caused a bit of amusement for me. Alice claimed they were stupid, because they stifled her creativity, and furthermore, they didn't match. I laughed at her refusal to even touch the outfit for some time.

Alice and Edward were mates. Edward denied it. As did she. But I knew. I could see it. They were both great assets to the family. They both wanted the attention craved because of their gifts. Edward and Alice were both as close to conceited as you could get.

Wait, no. That was Rosalie.

Although I couldn't drink enough blood, I could sate the monster with sex. I gave a few winks to certain girls as I walked the halls. They had to be a certain type. Hair color, eye color, that shit didn't matter to me. Demeanor. That was the important stuff. You had to be strong. Stubborn. And smart.

But those were my dating preferences. For fucking, I didn't give a flying fuck.

A wink and a smirk, plus her own desire, got me a curvy blond in the janitor's closet. She was a smile, a bit of playful eyelash batting and a pout away from being sucked dry. We fell in the cramped space, a tangle of flesh and clothes - I put open-mouthed kisses down her cheek until I reached her jugular. I kissed it softly, resisting the urge to bite her.

She pulled her shirt off in a fervor, and I followed suit. My fingers pinched at her pink nipple while my mouth enclosed on the other. I gently rolled it in my teeth. I pushed her skirt up as she fumbled with the button on my pants. I trailed one finger down her white panties and smiled suggestively. She gave me the look of a dying cow.

Underwear came off. Her pussy was hairy, from that to the cracks of her ass. I pushed her against the wall, sliding inside her and faking a groan. She was tight, warm...and completely loose. Obviously, she was either the school slut or had too many men in her bed. She muffled a moan into my shoulder as I thrus into her.

In and out, in and out, harder, rougher...I plowed into her relentlessly. A low coiling in my stomach encouraged me to go faster. I could feel it, the pressure, building up. The monster had not yet awakened. I was still in control. She was whispering something to me; what, I didn't pay attention to. I gripped her tighter and drove myself deeper.

I felt the feeling of bliss wash over me at the same time she bit down on my arm to muffle her cry. I relaxed, feeling happy, like all my tension had washed away. Until I looked down. I let her off the wall and replaced my shirt, boxers, and pants. I didn't offer a name, number, or possibility of doing it again.

I walked away, out of the closet and into my first period.

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><p>History was a drag. Biology was a bore, Calculus was a punishment, and English was just nonsense. My classes offered me no challenge and I found it somewhat depressing.<p>

Lunch was amusing. I had the rare opportunity to watch two girls engage in a fight over the last chocolate chip cookie. Alice chastised me for using my gift on the innocent humans. I snorted in laughter. Humans were no less innocent than grass was green. A private school for people of little use to me made it all the harder for me to find some kind of interest in anything.

Rosalie was still the same old jealous little bitch. Emmett was still childish and insightful. Edward was a pompous ass, Alice was Alice, and Esme and Carlisle were careful as to how often they were seen around town.

Teachers liked me. Girls wanted me. Boys envied me. Charisma. I had what I wanted. Alice confronted me the next day about my reaction to one boys sneering advice.

"Seriously, Jasper, you didn't have to rub his face in the ground. You humiliated him." She tried to make me sympathetic. I would have laughed. Sympathy was one thing I didn't give out freely. Another was pity. "He deserved it. Suggesting he was more skilled than me was an insult to the both of us."

Comparing yourself as an equal to a better opponent was degrading to yourself and them. It set them at a lower level than they were, and fooled others into thinking you were skilled enough to defeat them. It was an insult, and I refused to be insulted. "He will not suggest such things again. Of that I am sure."

Alice sighed. She plopped down on the couch. Why we needed such things evaded me. We were vampires. We could stand in one position of seven days and it would feel as if we had rested in a warm bed. Couches and chairs were unnecessary. Like I said, they only wanted to feel more humane.

Alice had agreed to take me to Cielo del Vampiro, Vampire Heaven. It was a little club out in the middle of nowhere for only our kind. Any humans were sent away. I needed some blood tonight, and the drugged kind was the closest equivalent to alcohol I would ever get. I didn't question how Alice knew where it was. I had learned not to question much about her.

Alice had no history. No memories. They had faded the second her transformation was complete. She was the only one of our kind for this to occur, and thus made her a worthy target of Aro Volturi and his interest. He wanted Edward as well. Aro could see every thought you'd had, Alice could see what would occur, and Edward could read what you were thinking at that moment. The past, present, and future.

Together, the three of them would be powerful allies or enemies. He craved them. He wanted any excuse against the Cullen family he could find; much to his dismay, there were none. I knew he was watching however. He wanted his opportunity to collect the two gifts that would complete his set, and the first step to wanting something was mapping out a strategy to get it.

Later that night, we left. The car ride in Alice's yellow Porsche was dull. Emmett was the only one to request to come along. I allowed it, under the circumstances. I imagined he would have to find somewhere to get away from his hateful bitch of a wife. Emmett offered me only one comment at that. "Stop insulting Rosalie, or I swear to all that is holy, I will crack your skull open."

I was proud that he would stand up for her, even against the odds. He knew he couldn't really crack it open, and that his words were merely talk, but knowing Emmett, I had no doubts he would try. I made a silent promise not to insult her anymore...to his face.

The club was full of gyrating bodies and pounding lights and loud techno music. Alice left to go mingle and find a body to gyrate on. Emmett saw one of the strippers and went to go talk to her. I headed straight for the bar; I had no interest in neither dancing nor sex right now. I wanted a good drink, and reheated, drugged blood was my best bet at his point.

"Two red wines, level A, leave the bottle." The bartender nodded and went to a backroom. A second later he was back, holding two glasses of blood in his hand and another bottle full of it. I slapped a twenty on the table and told him to keep the change before sipping from the glass. Level A was a low amount of alcohol mixed into the blood. I wasn't sure how much I could really take, and tonight was not a night I wanted to find out.

I threw back a glass. And another. I poured myself a few other glasses that were slammed down my throat before I felt a hand tug on my pants leg. My head turned to see who had done it. A little girl blinked back at me. She had soft blue eyes, curly brown locks, and a Cheshire grin. In other words, she was adorable. Her heartbeat was loud above the music.

"Hi. I'm Abby," she introduced herself politely. "Are you a vampire?" I nodded, but felt a little startled at her instant assessment. She was young. How she knew about vampires was dangerous; I hoped the Volturi never found her. "Abby," I heard a deep voice call. "Come here." The child toddled off into the crowd before a man emerged holding her. He had the same shade of brown hair as she did, but his eyes were deep red.

He was a vampire. I didn't understand what the child was to him. She kissed his cheek. "Dadda, I was talking to him. He's nice." The man nodded and looked at me for a full three seconds before he put her down inside the back room.

"Thank you for being polite to her. I know she probably just walked up to you and asked if you were a vampire." I chuckled. She was cute. "No trouble at all. Are you her father?" His face fell. He cleared his throat before answering. "Yes. I was turned two weeks after she turned six. Her mother was my first." I felt the shame and guilt radiating from him.

Before I knew what I was doing, I rolled back my sleeves. My scars shined brighter than the colored rotating lights, and I knew they practically glowed in the eyes of an immortal. His eyes traveled down the length of my arms. They took in every mark a set of teeth had imprinted. "We all have our flaws. Yours are just psychological."

He nodded and began to walk away. "Thank you," he whispered low. I nodded, sat back down at the bar, and drank from the bottle.

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><p><em>So, hopefully I have the next chapter out faster next time. I would continue this, but the next part is more for that specific piece than an add-on. Thanks to everyone for reviewing, and really big thanks for being so patient. I know I'm kinda falling off the job, and I'll try to write some everyday.<em>

_Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Reviews are like...me writing another chapter faster. Haha, bye everyone._

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	9. Chapter 9: Seasons and Simplicity

_Man, you guys rock my world. Already past 150 reviews. You do so spoil me. I wish I could say it would be wrapped up soon, but it won't. Jasper needs his time to show his side of the story. So, yeah, there will be a couple more JPOVs. I'm sorry if you're impatient to get to Bella, but we've heard from her already - Jasper needs his turn. _

_Oh, and yes, this is the past. We're in the...2000's at this point. His memories are like a time machine, you never know where you're gonna end up. Sorry if I didn't make that clear; it didn't occur to me at that moment to put up a year. _

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and Amy for prereading. **_  
><em>

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

* * *

><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 9 - Seasons and Simplicity<p>

**Jasper**

**March**

My favorite season went out with a bang. A huge snowstorm that had the five of us growling and snapping at each other for three straight days. Granted, we had some fun playing in the snow; even had a snowball fight. But with the storm going on, the animals knew better than to come out. I'd never been so happy to be able to drink from a deer. Springtime brought with it a rejuvenated Alice. She wore pastel colors and bright sandals that I think were from Mexico. The house was brighter and cheerier again; even Rosalie smiled a little from time to time.

School was no different to me than hunting grounds. Sex was nothing more than another way for me to keep my temper under control and make sure no one else ended up like Maria. Maria. I thought about her all the time. Her voice. Her hair. The feeling of her skin under mine. I hadn't meant for her to end up dead. Ashes. Orange. Fire. Dirt. I was left to question the what ifs. Would the Volturi have killed her instead? Would she ever have been caught?

Regret was the theme of the day for me. The blond I had banged in the closet was following me around like a lost puppy. She was either begging for a treat or trying to play with me. It was above the point of annoyance. Yelling at her would ruin my image. I consorted to ignoring her. The population of the school knew her as the slut who had opened her legs for one of the Cullen boys.

I did nothing to stop these rumors. She could have stopped them by herself, yet she continued to follow me around. Walking home faster than human speed served for losing her presence, and I was able to relax when she was away from me. The constant feeling of control was starting to wear on my mind, and I wanted a break from everything; from the Cullens, from the monster, from myself.

Salvation came in the form of Emmett. He gave me the spare key to a house he bought back in the 90's. Even showed me a picture of the outside. It was painted majestic purple, a strange color for a house to be. I fell in love with it, the only thing I could ever fall in love with. Humans were not an option, and vampires were as judgmental as their favorite snacks.

I was the typewriter amongst the computers, the white crayon in the crayon box. I was different, and I chose to wear it proudly, than hide it behind fake smiles and forced feelings of happiness. The Cullens were different. Alice danced around the world, barely touching the ground with her dainty feet - she would rather continue dancing than see things for what they were. Rosalie had the idea that if you saw things in black and white, they would make more sense. Emmett didn't give a shit. Edward claimed we were soulless monsters who didn't deserve happiness, and thus we should try to fix the bad to redeem ourselves. I called it all bullshit and left.

Cielo del Vamipro was crowded that night. I still saw young Abby and her father, Leonardo. They smiled and waved at me before he disappeared through the wide glass doors. I sat at the bar, ordered a bottle of Level C, and waited for my drink so I could drown myself in loneliness.

And then I saw her. _God, she's a fucking vision. _Long legs, accented by her fuck-me black heels. Curly, chestnut brown locks that shifted against her pale skin. Big red eyes that took in everything. Her tongue darted out to lick her soft, pink lips. I wanted her so bad my dead heart ached. I saw a man walk over to her; blond hair, red eyes, and extending his lips to kiss the brunette beauty.

I turned away. Love didn't exist. Lust did. Love tore you apart and made you vulnerable. I would be alone forever. _Like it should be. _I growled and slapped a ten down. "Make it a Level D."

He came back with my requested drink and a shot glass, and I slammed back a full cup before I poured myself another one.

* * *

><p>Alice was an annoying little shit. Today, she was telling me all about the future I was sure I would do something to fuck up. I had stopped listening to her psychic predictions. If I saw it coming, wouldn't I end up doing something that changed it?<p>

I was spending my days fucking and my nights drinking. Emmett had allowed me to stay at his place. I ook up a new name. Jasper Whitlock was dead and gone. He was the shell of the man he used to be, and only those who truly knew him understood. I went to school in the small town under the identity of Jason Werner. It gave people an explanation as to why JW was written on so many things. Stupid fucking Alice. I told her to never touch my stuff. She thought having her little psychic connection would help her see me coming.

The monster didn't make decisions. He waited for the right moment to strike. Instinct was how he reacted, and caged animals had more sense. At least they went with the flow. If something went wrong, the monster would pull his hair out and curse at the sky. He didn't take rejection well.

I fed on a young thirteen year old, with short dyed bright pink hair and dull brown eyes. She was a runaway, stuck in a world of sex and drugs. She was high as a motherfucking kite when I found her. Half-dead, dazed and lying in a ditch in a corn field - another few hours and she would have died right there. I sank my teeth into her neck and drank her blood. It was dull, boring, and reminded me of dead skin cells.

I picked up a pretty brunette prostitute and had my way with her before I dumped her back where I found her, forty dollars richer. Judging from the amount of money I'd found in her boots and the flighty, caged feeling she vaguely gave off, I had a feeling she was running somewhere, or to someone. I made sure to give her an extra twenty when I dropped her off. She stared at the blue Toyata in shock before I sped away.

It was still the beginning of March when the Cullen family decided to visit some fellow animal drinkers, their good friends the Denali's, up in Alaska. I had the tragedy of going with them, based on my lack of plans for anything else. We traveled via private jet to the icy tundra of Alaska. It was cold, cold, and cloudy with a chance of pneumonia. Everyone except me found it wonderful. I missed the feeling of the warm sun on my skin.

Shit happened. Life sucked. I had to stop complaining and make my own rule book. Without it, I would get cheated out of all the good shit I should have or get. The saying play the cards you're dealt came to mind. I didn't want to play the fucking cards I was dealt. I wanted to go through the deck and find the good ones.

The Denali's were composed of three couples. Carmen and Eleazar were cute in a sickening way. Irina and Laurent were annoying, with their little snobby noses turned up at everything I did. Kate and Garrett never stopped with the sex and moaning and lust and sometimes it made me crazy. But the person who really drove me up the wall was Tanya.

She had long legs and big breasts and a smirk on her red lips. Her eyes were a pool of crimson and she had an hourglass figure, the kind that made me go insane when she walked away, swinging her hips that way. Her first interest was Edward. He didn't reciprocate. Her second choice of action was Emmett. He was married, and Rosalie was ready to bring out her newly sharpened claws.

I was left. Both single. Both vampires. The logic in her mind must have clicked. It certainly did for me. We hammered out an agreement. When needed, we would turn to each other for sex. Although, we never fleshed out a when and where. An estimate of three days went by before I was sated. It happened on a Friday.

I was sitting in the kitchen with Rosalie. She was glaring while I was chuckling at her pitiful lioness stare. Tanya slammed in and gave her a murderous glance. "Get the fuck out." Rosalie looked like she was about to protest. She stood up, most likely to assert her position as alpha.

"Now, goddamn it!" She screamed, and Rosalie gave her a startled glance before leaving. The woman was a cowardly lion; or even better, a tiny dog. A Chihuahua. She shook and made noise, but her bite was no bigger than her bark, which was no bigger than her size. Teacup poodles gave me a better impression of her personality. Insecure, rude, annoyingly smug - she pretended to be satisfied with acting human, when in reality she believed she was competing with them.

Tanya grabbed my hand and pulled me along on her run to the woods. She threw me up against a tree and stuck her tongue down my throat. No joke, I almost choked on that motherfucker. She stopped kissing me long enough for me to notice she was wearing a flimsy tank top. Her hands ripped off my pants and her own were lying in shreds on the forest floor. I smirked at her. "Bad day?"

She growled and kissed me again, her tongue shoved down my throat once more. I took over the role of the dominant and pushed right back. She backed down, her pink appendage retreating as I licked inside her mouth for the sweet and sour taste she exerted. She moaned. I ripped off her black bra, putting both hands over her 44 C breasts; she whimpered a little as I rolled her nipples in between my fingers, pinching and tugging on them. I could smell her arousal.

I smiled as I placed small kisses on her neck. My mouth found its way to her nipples as I sucked on them and bit down. She let out a cry as I slowly rubbed up and down her pussy lips, teasing her. My finger dipped into her wet sex. "Please," she panted, clearly disheveled. "Fuck me. Fuck, please. Please, just...just fuck me."

I teased her a little more before I slid a finger inside, then two more. She moaned as I fingered her, and bucked when I brushed against her prostate. She begged again. "Please, Jasper," she gasped out. I slid into her with a groan. She was warm, but definitely not tight. I fucked her rough and hard, until the both of us were spent for the day.

* * *

><p>I returned to the tiny blip on the Wyoming map the next week. Canada was my go-to place for sex and food. I was more careful about who I chose for my meals, however. Runaways. Homeless. Those that wouldn't be looked for, and now would never be found.<p>

Tanya became an ally. She understood my constant need for human blood, and didn't question my strange libido. The two of us against Rosalie were unstoppable, and Edward simply ran away to his room like a child whenever she arrived. Tanya classified us to be fuck-buddies. I had laughed when she called me a son-of-a-bitch with magic fingers.

The Cullens were grating on my nerves again. Everyone offered words of comfort on the anniversary of the day Rosalie was raped and bitten. They told her there was nothing that could have been done against it, that what happened happened, and she would have to accept it and move on one day. She simply cried out and screamed as she heaved dry sobs. Emmett removed her from the house. I rolled my eyes at her increasingly pitiful theatrics. She was raped. She was left to die. And then Carlisle Cullen had found her, bleeding and broken, and made her into what she is today.

I could feel her loathing. She hated what she'd become. Children were her greatest weakness, and she could not produce any. The hatred directed at her creator was strong. She hated him for turning her. She hated Emmett for loving her when she was a creature of disgust and filth, a product of the worst action known to man. His semen would forever be inside her. She hated everyone for treating her like she was worthy of compassion. She hated herself for the monster she was.

I understood her pain, and sent out waves of calm and peace. I hoped she would feel it. Her anguish at his actions, her actions, the reasons. I hoped I'd made them disappear, at least for a little while. Rosalie and I didn't see eye to eye, but I would never wish her pain on my greatest enemies. _Well, maybe one or two._

Tanya allowed me to stay at her home until I felt like going back to Hillgreyd. I found a blue-eyed girl who had attempted suicide. She begged me to kill her. She knew what I was and offered her blood to me in compensation for her own desires. Her name was Cathy.

When I did once again rejoin the Cullens in their rink-a-dink little town, I was lectured by Carlisle. Keeping up appearances meant not running off whenever I felt like it, in this family we drink animal blood, yada yada, blah blah blah. I didn't pay a lick of attention, but I was urged to go to school by Alice, so I complied with her whining and threats and just put on some fucking clothes and left.

Classes went by slow as fuck. It was bad enough that my human stalker had returned, but now she had friends, and they giggled and laughed and whispered while staying a good ten-feet away. _Thank God, or whoever it is up there. _I was going to tell them I knew they were following me when I saw her.

A heart-shaped face. Dark red hair. Bright green eyes. She had the plumpest lips, and I could already imagine them wrapped around my cock. She was wearing a white button-up t-shirt that wrapped around her snugly and blue denim shorts that showed off her already impossibly long legs and pert ass. Her eyes flickered to mine and I felt her emotions spike before they were normal again. She licked her lips and gave me a genuine smile and I felt my stomach drop.

_Fuck. Forget Tanya. I want her._

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><p><em>So, what do you guys think? Is Jasper falling for this new chick, or is this just another sex agreement waiting to happen? We've got...4 more months, so if you don't feel like reading anymore JPOV, you might want to skip the next 4 chapters.<em>

_Thank you to everyone who reviews and has been reviewing. Without you guys, I couldn't come up with stuff nearly as good as this. I am extremely grateful, and if I could, I'd give you all a big hug. __Next chap will be out (hopefully) by next week. My schedule is hectic. Good news, though. I know where to look for my first job! :)_

_Anyways, enough about my personal life. Click that "Review" link and tell me what you thought! _

_Reviews are like a chocolate Jasper. I would love that. Love you all. Bye!_

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	10. Chapter 10: Cockroaches

_Hey y'all! Sorry I fell off the face of the planet there. I was looking for inspiration for this new chappie that you're currently reading. Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and Amy for prereading. **_  
><em>

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

* * *

><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 10 - Cockroaches<p>

**Jasper**

**April**

Danielle Cameron. 16 years of age. She was five foot nine, and weighed a hundred and thirteen pounds.

Red hair. Green eyes. She was a vision of beauty. Dark purple bra. Violet heart thong. I could see her breasts through the thin white undergarment she had on. They had my dick jumping for joy and my inner beast awakening. I wanted her. Her. Only her.

Vying for her attention were several local idiots. Fools, children who looked for a beauty such as her and only used them. They didn't stand a chance. No one was worthy of her attention, especially not some stupid high school boys. I could feel the emotions reeling off of them when she walked by. Lust. Happiness. More lust. I could only imagine their thoughts.

I stalked her. I learned her. I was sitting there every second; watching her as she slept and tracking her every move when she was awake. I was a predator. It was in my nature to watch my prey with a rapt amount of attention. She reminded me of a doe. Graceful. Slender. Pretty, with big eyes and mothering instincts. I loved drinking from does. I loved the way they struggled and kicked. I liked the taste of their blood, although still disgusting, much better than their male counterparts.

A doe she was. A snack. And as much as I wanted to corner her in an empty alley and drain her dry, I didn't. No. I was enjoying myself too much. She was an intriguing challenge and I wanted interesting prey. To settle for something easy was an insult to myself, as well as them. I didn't want someone I could charm. I wanted someone who would fight me. Someone who would push back if I pulled them down.

I wanted control and obedience. I wanted disregard for rules and lack of simple basic command. I wanted a girl who could think for herself and wouldn't let me have my way at the first word I shouted. She was the beauty. I was the beast. Together we would form an impossible love story, one that make ladies weep with joy and men shake their heads in resignation.

Rosalie called me a monster. I told her I was well-aware of this. Edward called me pathetic. This had me laughing. Pathetic? Compared to a man who has never once tried to find love, who has ignored the mate he already has. I was pathetic, and he was a goddamn joke. He called her my mate and I could only chuckle. This child, she was in no way my mate. No. Not at all. Love wasn't something I deserved, or something I wanted.

Love. What was it really? Was it candy kisses on a sky blue day? Was it fighting over stupid arguments, just for the sake of it, to hear someone speak with such conviction, to argue about your safety, your life, your happiness? Was it dancing in the rain and laughing at the drops that fell effortlessly onto your tongue, or spinning around for hours only to stop with a pounding heart and a whirling head? Yes. Yes, it was. Did I want to experience any of it?

No. No at all. Love was for idiotic fools who ached and pined for things they couldn't have. I had what I needed. Blood and sex. It was all that was necessary. For me especially. The Cullens denied their nature. I welcomed mine with open arms. Why pretend to be something I'm not. I wasn't an animal drinker, another gentle immortal, intent on coexisting with the human race.

I was a killer with cold skin and a dead heart. I drank from the very life they sought to protect. Life to me was millions of droplets of warm red blood upon an empty existence. What use did I have but to help cleanse the world of it's wrongdoers. Edward killed occasionally. He would hear the thoughts of those that had committed immoral crimes in society. He slipped up and murdered a serial killer, or a child molester. Child molesters. They were disgusting creatures. I was a monster. They far exceeded me.

I ran across one on my journey from Quebec to Ontario. I was passing through a small religious neighborhood. He was a priest. I had seen his morning sermon, as he preached about the goodness of God and His testament to His will. He had seemed like any other normal human. A school bus of children was unloaded. I felt his lust as they walked past, waving, chatting with him animatedly. My fury awakened. He was sick, disgusting, and it made me want to hurl the blood from my system. He was aware of his actions. I watched as he stared at a black-haired boy with wide blue eyes and explosions of freckles across his skin and smiled at him sweetly.

Night fell. I broke into his house and captured him, keeping a firm hand across his mouth. I never removed it, not once; I took him to his own church, where he was bound and gagged to a small wooden chair. I told him of my sins. I talked to him about life and death as the tears poured from his eyes. I could still smell the salty liquid to this day.

I told him of the first time I had killed. It had been a woman. Single, childless, alone. I smiled evilly as I spoke to him. How I had bathed in the blood and rolled around in it, like a dog would fresh grass. I told him of the first time I had fucked. How she was human, how she had cried as I slammed into her, tearing her open, fucking until my release, and then draining her. I told of the first time I had ripped apart another of my kind. How he had screamed as the horrible squelching sound erupted across the night air, leaving only silence to hang in the balance.

I told him of my wrath, my envy. My anger, the way it flowed from me effortlessly, how it grew stronger and stronger until I committed my act of violence. My jealousy towards humans. Their happiness. Their hope. The way they interacted with each other. How simple their lives were. Their sleep. Their dreams. Their friends. I envied everything about them. They were sheep, being led to the pastures. I sometimes longed to be a sheep again.

And when I was done, I wiped the tears from his face and removed the cloth from his mouth. "Stay quiet," I warned, and he complied. I undid the ropes and made him kneel. He struggled against the bonds I had quickly retied and turned pale when I pulled my own dick out. "Is homosexuality wrong, Mr. Caston?" He had nodded and recoiled when I touched his cheek with it. I grabbed his head and used my unquestioning strength to place it at his lips. "Then what makes you think touching children isn't."

He wasn't breathing. I poked his cheek roughly. "Breathe," I commanded. He released a breath, along with a choked sob. My flaccid cock remained at his lips. He could smell me. I wondered what my scent was to him. Was it good, something delectable? Or was it sour, to represent my personal hell, my personality, me? He was shaking from his silent whimpers. I replaced my dick in my pants and caressed his cheek.

"Don't worry. Your little secret will die with you and me. You will never be forgiven, but I will do you a favor. I will put you out of your misery." This made him cry harder. I tested the waters of his emotions. Regret. Confusion. Fear. And hope. A small amount of hope. Hope that he would achieve freedom. Hope that he would reach salvation. I leaned in close, my mouth at his ear. I whispered five words that etched themselves into his conscious. "You will burn in hell."

His eyes widened. A silent cry escaped his lips. I kissed his neck before sinking my teeth into the warm flesh. Hot blood flowed from the wound and I lapped it up, sucking greedily. It was salty-sweet and delicious. I drank until I felt his lifeless body slump. I pulled away and surveyed my work. Blood continued to drip from the mark. I swept my tongue over the mark, sealing it closed with my venom.

He was dead. Any signs of life from him were now nonexistent. I looked down at my bloody hands, red lines under my fingernails. The sweet red nectar was on my face, coating my mouth and smeared across my forehead. There was blood in my hair. I looked down on the floor, where a pool had formed. I reached down and dipped my palm in before reaching up and slicking my hair back.

I was a killer, with a cold skin and a dead heart. I didn't seek redemption. I seeked blood. And I'm very good at finding it.

* * *

><p><strong>May<strong>

I ran into her on a cloudy Saturday, at eight in the morning. Every Saturday at eight she would go jogging. It was ritualistic, a common event in her everyday routine. I walked into her path at the least second, colliding with her. She fell to the ground. I plopped down as well, if only to seem human enough to pull this off. I was tired of waiting. I wanted her now. Right now. She smelled like cinnamon and bananas. It was beginning to make me nauseous.

"Damn. Are you okay?" She looked up into my eyes. Blood pooled to her cheeks. She looked down again. She was breathing slightly more erratic. I could hear her thrumming heartbeat inside her chest. "Sorry," I continued. "I wasn't watching where I was going. Tends to happen. I'm always more focused on running than where I'm going." She looked down at my outfit. Sweatpants and a white undershirt. "I don't like running in shorts. Feels kinda weird," I explained.

She nodded. I reach a hand out and she grasped it tightly, perhaps too tight. I pulled her up and she let go. I was freezing cold, even in the warm stirrings of summer. "Jasper Whitlock. What's your name?" I pressed. Maybe she would protest against giving me the information. I expected too much. "Danielle Cameron. I prefer Dani."

I gave her a tight-lipped smile. Were all humans this dense? A man runs into you on a cloudy Saturday at eight in the morning, asking your name, and you give it to him? My pedestal crashed to the ground and splintered into pieces. My desire to continue playing this game fell with it. She wasn't the one I wanted. She was a snack. _You stated this beforehand. A doe. Wait for night. Drain her dry._

I looked at her with my deep blue contacts and smiled. Draining her was all I could think of doing these days. Her scent swirled around me. I could smell the lavender shampoo she'd used on her hair. Her body wash was orange scented, a strange contrast to the lavender. Combined with the whiff of cinnamon and bananas I got everytime I walked past, it was an odd smell. But wonderful nonetheless.

Alice tried to warn me. "What do you plan on doing? All I see is sadness. You, leaning over the cliff, plunging into the water. A girl with red hair, dead." I didn't respond. If that was the future, what use was there in changing it. "Goddamn it, Jasper. What the fuck did you do." I turned to look at her. It was rare when Alice swore. But when she did, she was frustrated and angry and had an itching to kick someone's ass. Today it was supposed to be mine.

She jumped up and dived. I dodged her tackle and pinned her to the wall. My fists were stuck into it as she used me like a set of monkey bars. With a kick to my back, I was on my stomach on the ground outside. My body had left an imprint in the cement. I had the childish urge to carve my name into it. She jumped. I moved. She swiped. I growled. I could feel the scratch against my diamond skin.

Kitty had brought out her claws. She was pissed with me. In a flash she was on top of me, holding my arms above my head, pinning my wrists to the ground. I rolled into a half-ball and bucked her off of me. She crashed into a tree and hit the ground. I ran over and grabbed her by the throat, hoisting her in the air. "Finsished?" I growled. She nodded, her face impassive. Searing pain between my legs. She'd kicked me in the family jewels.

I dropped her on accident, and she swept a leg underneath me, knocking me flat on my back. She leaned down and looked over me. "Finished," she stated, repeating my earlier words. And then she was gone, back in the house to explain to Esme why her wall was crushed. I knew she would pay for it to be fixed anyway.

I was left alone outside. The wind made the ferns sway. A dark, black sky was above me. The stars twinkled, winking at me in a way only they knew how. Alone. I was alone. The words echoed in my head. No woman would ever meet my standards.

She had to be beautiful. And smart. Brave. My other half. I didn't believe in love. _That doesn't mean you don't hope it exists._

I shook away the thoughts and watched the nighttime sky.

* * *

><p>We moved away. People had graduated and that meant suspicions would soon arise. We decided to go back to Forks, but we couldn't be seen. Not yet, at least. No human dared go by the house anyway. It was thought to be haunted. I had seen it too many times. A child would slip through the door. We would hear the creak and leave, bounding through open windows or patio doors.<p>

The friends, the scared humans who couldn't for the life of them understand why they edged the first one on, would taunt and tease. I would remain in the house. I refused to leave for a group of idiotic children. They would giggle and laugh and I could practically smell the fear, the adrenaline that pumped through their veins as they crept.

And then I would run past, screaming profanities. I would stomp on the floor, not hard enough to break, just enough to alert them to another presence. And they would run, screaming from the house, yelling "It's haunted!" and making fools of themselves as they tripped and stumbled away.

Rosalie would always be the first to return. She would sneer and call me a sadist. I resented her statements. I was a vampire. I didn't torture my victims, I drank. Torture was only for the lowest of low. I explained all of this to her one day.

"And what about you? You feed on humans. You kill and murder. You're a monster." I laughed. Calling me a monster was her favorite past-time. Next to brushing her hair and putting crap on her face. "I feed on humans because it is in my nature. Is it wrong when you kill for revenge? Or is it only wrong when the person you kill is innocent. You murdered not only those who watched it, but the man who raped you. Does this make you any less sadistic than me?"

She was fuming. She went for a different tactic. "That was different. He-"

"How so?" I demanded. "How is it different. Killing for revenge is still killing. If you choose your victims through careful time and preparation, you're a murderer. If you kill because you lose something, someone important, you're no more dangerous. What makes the lines between innocence and guilt blur? What makes you any different from me."

"I don't drink from humans. I'm better than you ever will be."

"You deny your nature in the hopes that you will be accepted by society standards. I relish in the blood and gore. I believe I'm better. Much better. I accept what I am. You, Edward, the both of you fight it, try to stay away from it. You parade around humans because they make you feel beautiful. Like a skinny girl in a room full of fat ones. Your beauty is much more prominent. You enjoy the attention."

"You can't read my mind. Don't assume what you don't understand."

"No. But I can read your emotions. You love the envy radiating from the human children. They will never compare and you know this. Around those of your own kind, you remain vulnerable, weak, if only because the beauty can ultimately out do your own."

She stormed away. I smiled. _I win._

* * *

><p><em>So, hope you all liked. It wasn't exactly as dark as I usually end it, but I figured having one over on Rosalie was a good way for Jasper to stop. Next chap is the last JPOV. We'll be in June, and he met Bella in July, so...yeah, almost there. Sorry again this was so late. School is hitting all the critical points. Got the SATs coming up soon. Study study study.<em>

_Anyways, reviews are like Ben&Jerry's ice cream. Love 'em. Thanks for reading and please review. Bye!_

**Reviewers of the Last Chapter: **genuinef250, momoXvolturi, Madys Nicole, 1dreamkeeper, Themys, 01katie, NatsWhitlock, Galveston's Daughter, chacha73, Frau-Sorge, TwilightAddict71484, ladybugff


	11. Author's Note: Don't Panic

_I only have one thing to say to the few that urge me to get to Bella already:_

_Have you ever read a story that was that rushed? __And if you have, did you enjoy it? _

_I've read one. I was irked that the author didn't expand on one of the main character's pasts. He sped right through to the next person. I enjoyed the plotline, the circle of events, everything else except that. And I don't want to be a hypocrite. Being upset that he did this and then doing it myself is the exact definition of this. _

_So, like I said in Chapter 9: Seasons and Simplicity ("_We've got...4 more months, so if you don't feel like reading anymore JPOV, you might want to skip the next 4 chapters."), skip the next chapter if you don't wanna read JPOV anymore. Otherwise, write your own stories.__

**__[I don't mean the people who say they can't wait for Bella and Jasper to meet. No, I mean the people who tell me they want me to hurry up and write about Bella.]__**

_To all you being patient with me and my random obsession with Jasper's past, thank you. I truly appreciate that you let me get this out, and I can't thank any of you enough for still staying with me, even if I do take a while to write._

_Sorry if you expected this to be a new chapter. It's coming along and should be out soon. Hopefully before my birthday comes around. I'm a October baby! *grin* Anyways, hope you all have a good day and pray to the Gods of FanFic that I get this out [before someone assassinate me for not getting it out soon enough]. Hehe. Bye!_

_- _**Deej**


	12. Chapter 11: Delusions of the Future

_Okay, so this is the last JPOV before the chapter where Bella and Jasper meet, and then one more super-long one after that about how he handled Ms. Swan's appearance before dearest Bella returns with her own musings._

_To all you being patient with me and my random obsession with Jasper's past, thank you very, very much. I truly appreciate that you let me get this out, and I can't thank any of you enough for still staying with me, even if I do take a while to write. __Be warned, these are rather short. Sorry. Inspiration has not been good to my people. Sometimes the words flow from my fingertips to the keyboard. Other times...not so much._

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN. __(Whoops. I lied. We're still in May. About near the last two weeks of the month. Again, sorry. I'm falling off my game...)_

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and DJ for pre-reading. **_  
><em>

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

* * *

><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 11 - Delusions of the Future<p>

**Jasper**

**May**

I could feel the hot sun beating down on my bare chest. Cold water washed upon me and made my denim jeans heavier. My body glittered with a thousand diamonds. I closed my eyes and leaned back, lying on the warm sand and relaxing. The sky was clear. Clouds didn't dare ruin my day.

I sniffed the air. Perfume. Nail polish. Leather heels. _Alice. _She plopped down next to me. I cracked open an eye and watched the grimace her face formed as she looked down at the wet grains. "Ugh. I never understood why you like playing in this." I smile and close an eye again. Alice didn't understand much about me at all. No one did. I was a monster. A killer. I was nothing more than a cold rock that walked, talked, and drank; by simple definition, I was a stone robot. I should join the circus. They could make quite a profit.

Hair dye. Inky black again. Her hair was originally extremely dark brown, which looked almost black. She used to have wide green eyes. I'd found a picture of her, from before she was turned, before she was placed in the asylum. She would have been pretty if I'd met her back then. I would have loved to drain her dry. I could only imagine the taste of her blood. Those with potential gifts were that much sweeter.

"We have a problem." I didn't like the sound of the words that rolled off her tongue. They blackened my mood and ruined the pretty blue sky. "Speak." She proceeded. I tuned most of it out. I was going to kill a red head. _Knew this. _I shouldn't go near town on the 22nd of July. _Yawn. _Some other nonsense I didn't listen to was said before she hit me on the arm. I opened my eyes to glare at her.

She gave me a frown. I wished she would stop doing that. Her face would freeze, and then I'd be stuck with another Rosalie. One was more than enough. She was annoying, bitchy, and honestly delusional. She'd rather convince herself she was better than her own kind in an effort to keep up a facade that was obviously not happening. My last argument with her had resulted in her storming off.

Alice was still rambling. I'd had enough. "Damn it, Alice. Can't you just let me enjoy one moment of peace? I don't need my fucking future watched every goddamn day. I don't need to know if I might choke on a blood clot or anything like that. If it happens, it happens, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it."

My words came out harsher than I intended. Her frown became more pronounced. She growled, and leapt away from me. "Fine. Go the fuck ahead. Massacre. Have a blood bath. And when you find her, I hope she gives you hell." She was a blur as she disappeared with the wind. _Her? Who is she? _I sighed, shook my head, and laid back in the sand again.

For some reason, it wasn't as relaxing as it was before.

* * *

><p>"I have a favor to ask."<p>

I nodded. He continued. "I need you to take over the ranch for me."

I looked up. My face betrayed no emotion, though I was shocked. He loved that ranch. It was his pride and joy. "Why." The words barely escaped my lips.

"I've been going...soft on them, these past few weeks. The girls need a strong leader. Someone mentally capable of training them and someone who will carry on the work I've done. I don't care how they are taught, as long as they are."

"I don't understand. Why-"

He cut me off. "David was killed yesterday. The Volturi accused him of treason. He was tortured to tell who else was involved, but he stayed silent, except for his screams. Whenever that witch," he spat the word with hatred and contempt, "used her gift on him." His voice was strangled. I could tell he wanted to shed the tears that would never come.

"I'm sorry. Words cannot convey my apology for your sorrow."

"Thank you. My brother was a brave man."

"I know."

"I am going to offer myself to them. By this time tomorrow, I will be dead."

"You can't."

He turned to look at me. "I must. Without my brother, my _fratello_, I have nothing. We were born at the same time. We toured Greece together. Saw Athens. When we arrived in America, he was the one who kept us out of trouble. Kept me out of trouble. When we were turned, he kept me sane. Without him, my sanity will dissolve."

Caleb and David were brothers. Everyone saw them as _fratello_, the Italian tongue for brother, their native language. Their parents had been killed by the Volturi after they were turned. Their entire family was killed, from aunts to uncles to cousins. They vowed revenge. So far, they had collected a few gifted females, in an attempt to create their own supernatural army.

Now he was asking me to continue his work.

Conflict filled my mind and made venomous sweat drip from my brow. The Volturi were the reason the southern states were not a bloodbath; they were the sole reason many were also killed without cause. Without them, a large population of humans would have been decimated, and the secret supernatural world would have been revealed; fear and acceptance would war over the hearts of tasty blood bags and create allies and enemies . Without them, a new group of vampires would establish a place in the stepladder of power and rule over us all.

New rules would be made. Challenges would be heard. The Volturi had been a source of power for so long. Destroying them would only fuel the ongoing fights that occurred. Chaos was sure to ensue. It had been a long argument between the three of us. Whether or not the realm of immortals was ready for the disappearance of their faithful rulers.

I nodded. "I will do it."

He clasped my shoulder and smiled at me. "Good man. We have much to prepare for."

Plans were made. Rules were in place. I was allowed to train them however I pleased. New recruits were allowed, whether male or female. The army had to be ready within a time limit of six months. The Volturi would journey here by then, and then was when they had to be destroyed. We would have to fight, and there was no way around it. Death had to be released at our fingertips.

Or we would all be punished.

I would start the next day. Finding potential immortals would be simple. If need be, I would even turn some of them. I would have to ask an old friend for help, however.

By nightfall, I knew he had to leave. I looked at him. Shaggy dark brown hair that was always being shook out of his eyes. Bright red irises that conveyed his happiness and sorrow quite easily. I was stuck, standing between acceptance and anger at his choice.

He pulled me into a hug, and I couldn't resist wrapping my arms around his frame. "Goodbye, old friend." The air was bittersweet. It brought with it the smell of death and sinuous crimson relief.

* * *

><p>"That child there. In the dark blue sweater with the blond pigtails."<p>

I nodded and stored her information for later. Lizzie Brooks. Age twenty-seven. Single, no children, currently unemployed. No family to be heard of. She was perfect. A simple bite, some discipline, she would prove value to me yet. It wouldn't be long before the number of people on the ranch was complete. Then would come training.

"Are you sure, Eleazar? Much is riding on this decision."

"I'm positive. She is an elemental. Specifically, she can control any form of water. She will be a worthy ally."

"But if she turns on me, will I be able to subdue her."

"Of course. Your emotions are tied to your abilities. No matter how powerful she will be, a slight shift of feeling will do the trick."

I nodded. Lizzie was a worthy adversary indeed. Strong and determined. She didn't quit. Nothing like my failed conquest of Danielle Cameron. I planned on tasting her tonight. The young girl was tormenting me with every smell I had of her insanely appetizing life-force. Red hair taunted me with every step I took. Her figure had become more pronounced; her breasts were fuller and her stomach was flatter, leading to flared hips and long creamy legs.

In short, she was even more attractive than the first time I'd seen her. More boys tried for her attention. They all failed. I knew she watched me in the halls. Refusing to acknowledge her made this game all the more fun. But it had drawn on for too long. I would end it tonight.

We found a few more. Hannah Leon. She would be a marvelous telekinetic. Naomi Reed. A technopath. Paula Castro. Power augmentation. Jeanine Fitzgerald. Kiara Pasley. Michelle Huron.

They were all wonderful potentials, and I knew biting them would be a true honor; I would get the unique opportunity to sample their blood.

* * *

><p>Night eventually fell. I stood in front of Danielle's house and rang the doorbell. After three seconds, the flat board of wood opened. There she stood, dressed in a camisole and boy shorts. I could see the outline of her thong through the thin fabric, but no bra. Her nipples peeked out from behind her undershirt, wanting to say hello too. I sent pangs of lust her way. The air was thick with it.<p>

No parents. No siblings. No one knew I was here. It was perfect. We crashed into her bedroom, a tangle of limbs and flying clothes. I accidentely created a gaping hole in her shirt, but she didn't notice. I pulled it over her head and tossed it into the trashcan. I cupped her now naked breasts and ran my finger over her nipple, teasing her as I rubbed in between my forefinger and thumb. She arched her back, encouraging me further. I lowered my mouth and enveloped it in between my teeth, careful not to bite down.

It took a mass amount of control not to simply drain her, now, right this second - I could feel the blood, pulsing as it made it's way to the hardened nubs. My tongue touched it briefly and she moaned. I made sure to place proper care to the other one, rubbing it against my teeth and between my lips as I sucked on it. My cock was well-pronounced through the denim, and I rubbed against her, need covering want, lust and pleasure swirling through the air.

She groaned and arched into me as I trailed soft kisses down her neck, ripping her pants off and caressing her through the soaked panties. My tongue swirled around her jugular before giving it a soft kiss; I couldn't bite her, not yet. I hooked a finger on her wet underwear and tore them off, removing the last piece of clothing. My nose flared at the smell of her. My tongue swept up the soft flesh of her thigh, to the source of wetness. She smelled heavenly. Like fresh green grapes and the sweetest pears.

I took one lone lick that had her screaming to the heavens. I stopped my administrations and looked up. She gave me a sheepish expression. "If you want to continue, I suggest you cover your mouth." I handed her a pillow. She took it gratefully and nodded, sucking in air before pressing the fluffy feather-filled sleeping device against her mouth.

My tongue reached out and flicked her clit, causing her to buck against me. Her muffled screams and moans were held inside the pillow and I smiled in satisfaction. I reached up a hand and slid one finger into her leaking hole. She moaned, beginning to hump against my hand as I slid two fingers inside, and then another to make three. I pushed a feeling of pleasure her way as I sucked on her clitoris.

She screamed as clear fluid gushed from her, and I rubbed her clit with my thumb, sending her into another round of ecstasy. The emotion itself would have been enough to make me cum, if I'd had no sense of self-control. She jerked again and again as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. Standing quickly, I removed my pants and boxers and slid inside her while she was recovering.

I gave a low moan. She was so tight. I thrust into her at the exact same time she screamed into the pillow. _Another one. _I plunged deep into her once again. And again. And again. We had created a rhythmic slapping of flesh as I increased speed. I could feel myself at the edge, so close to the brink. She moaned, and I smelled the sweet blood rush to her nipples, and I fell off th edge of the world. I floated above the clouds and waved at the angels as I shot my venom deep into her.

She sighed and smiled lazily as I untangled myself from her, turning away to pull up my pants and replace my underwear. Her heart was beating erratically. Sweet blood flowed through the veins. With a quick smile, I turned to face her. "I am sorry it had to end like this." Her brow furrowed at the sound of my southern accent. Without a word, I was on top of her, biting into warm flesh as red crimson oozed into my waiting mouth. She struggled, arms flailing wildly, legs kicking empty air. I slapped a hand over her mouth as she opened it to scream.

She stopped struggling. Her movements got weaker and slower before stopping all together. When I was finished, I took a blanket and her clothing and covered her up.

I opened the window and jumped out into the night, intent on finding a burial spot for my newest victim.

* * *

><p><strong>June<strong>

A month of training did the ranch some good. I added human workers, to keep up appearances. An old woman named Melissa Hartley brought her 12 year old granddaughter with her. Alyssa. I knew the moment she arrived something was special about her. My presence didn't disturb her. My words didn't affect her. She was the age of a young girl and yet nothing I did could make her uncomfortable.

Everyone called me Major. I let the child call me Jasper. She had discovered it without any prompting what-so-ever, and it was this that only confirmed my suspicions of her being gifted. She knew things. Impossible things. Things that people didn't normally hear, see, or discover about anyone. She could reveal the darkest secrets at the blink of an eye.

She was no mind reader. That much was obvious. Edward couldn't even get inside her head. There was only silence. Alice couldn't predict her future. Darkness was all she could see. I tried several gifts. Nothing worked on her. The girl was my beacon of shining hope. More people were needed, of course, but this child, she was extraordinary. Even by immortal standards.

Jonah. He was by far the most potent of my numbers. He could show you by touch pictures. Memories, words. His gift was amazing and I'd never seen anything like it. Only once, from a woman in South America by the name of Zafrina; she could fill your head with the image she conjured and blind you with her pictures. But her talent was much different from his. Each ability manifests in it's own way, according to Carlisle.

New recruits were plentiful. There hadn't been too many men, though I changed this immediately. My army had to be equal. I needed female anger and male strength to pull this off.

* * *

><p>A large brute threw a young girl at my feet. She jumped up and hissed at him, baring her teeth in warning. She was no more than seventeen years of age, at the least. She had short wavy blond hair, with dyed black tips. Her eyes were bright red and conveying her open hostility. A perfect imprint of my teeth sat on the cusp of her shoulder. He spoke. "Caught her trying to escape."<p>

I thanked him and turned my attention to the fledgling as the door shut.

"Zacharie." Her name rolled off my tongue. She didn't look away as I circled her and I smirked as I thought of the first lesson she would learn. My hands grabbed her hair and pushed her downward. I had forced her to kneel. She struggled against me, her newborn strength beginning to show. I sent waves of submission and calm out into the room. She stopped and stayed in position obediently.

"This is your first lesson. I expect you to kneel to me at all times. When you are in my presence, you will kneel, or you will suffer the consequences."

She shivered. She'd heard me. I let her up and went to sit at my desk. "Now, why don't you show me what you've learned today." She kept her position, head down, submissively waiting. I stroked her cheek. "But you will be punished for trying to leave. I want to see you in this office, at eight thirty-five. Not a second later. Or the consequences will be more severe."

She nodded. I smiled. "You are dismissed." She was a blur as she left the room. I looked at the picture of Caleb that rested on the wall and frowned.

"Dude, what the fuck were you thinking."

* * *

><p><em>Okay, so NOW we've hit June. Next chapter will be a continuation and then a follow up into July. And after that, Bella and Jasper meet and have angry, passionate sex. KIDDING!<em>

_...I can imagine it though. _

_Reviews are Bella, eventually ripping Jasper a new asshole and placing his balls in her back pocket for keep-sakes. You know you've all thought about it happening. Yep, I'm a dark bitch. But I enjoy it. Anyways, thanks for reading and review please! :)_

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	13. Chapter 12: Her

_Okay, so..._dun**dun**dun_! You have arrived, good people! The last chapter before Bella and Jasper meet! Are you excited? I know I am! Oh, and I should mention now, before anyone gets confused by what they're about to read in his chapter; in this story, shape-shifters **do not **exist. Werewolves, fairies, any other creature, sure. But shape-shifters, no. Sorry if I disappointed anyone._

_Sorry for the long wait. School and I don't seem to agree. The 1st quarter has already ended, and I didn't do too well. Inspiration has not been good to my people. These are short. Sorry, guys. I'm seriously falling off my game... _

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN. _

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and DJ for pre-reading. **_  
><em>

**Warning:** Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

* * *

><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 12 - Her<p>

**Jasper**

**June**

The hot summer sun beat down on the nape of her neck. Sweat dripped from the spot, trailing down her back and into the crack of her ass. She stood there, quiet, not moving. I gave her a smile and indicated she drop the blanket her hands clutched at desperately. Supple long legs. Perky breasts that were at least a size C. Her black hair covered her shoulders, ending near the beginning of her back. Smooth flesh led to a pert, round ass.

"Dance," I commanded. With a slow intake of breath, she began to move. Twisting her body in the most complicated ways, she spiraled and gyrated and simply danced. She was a vision of endless tan skin and big brown eyes. Her flesh jiggled slightly with each movement she made. I was slightly entranced by the way her breasts bounced when she turned. She danced like that, for me, for three hours. Never faltering, no hesitation. Her heart was beating erratically, and I could tell she was tired.

"Enough." She stopped, sinking back down to the earth floor. I walked forward, smelling salty tears and hot sweat meld as one. I plucked a leash from the branch of a tree and clipped it onto the makeshift collar I'd had created for her. Engraved in the cheap plastic was her name. Leah. I remember when she would growl if anyone spoke it. Now she simply whimpered whenever she heard it.

"Leah," I cooed, pulling on the flimsy fabric leash. She whimpered and moved, hips swaying as she walked by my side. I'd found her. Freezing to death in the mountains. I had taken her in, cleaned her up, trained her. In a weeks time, she would belong to another, and I would be paid fifteen thousand. It had taken some time to train her too. One month. Most were trained within a week. Not Leah. She was a spitfire, that one. Cursing up a storm whenever she was hit. I had enjoyed punishing her, if nothing else.

She had a tattoo on her left hip, a perfect cursive J, with a small heart next to it. I never asked what the letter stood for. I didn't bother. It was not my concern, nor would it ever be. I was simply the carrier pigeon, dropping off the message and collecting the crumbs of reward.

I handed her off to someone else. "Place her back in her room. Give her chicken and celery and a jug of water. I'll be in my office."

He nodded without saying a word and walked away, gently tugging on the leash when she stopped walking. I was in my office in seconds, sitting in the soft leather chair. A figure jumped out of the shadows. She had long black hair that ended at her lower back, and big gold eyes that twinkled when she was planning something. She gave me a grin and a flash of her bleached white teeth. I smiled. "Hi, Lyra."

She perched herself on my desk and crossed her legs. Her short skirt rode up higher, giving me a flash of skin underneath. "Hey Jazz. Hows it going?" She was the only one I allowed to call me that. After all, she could kick my ass into next week, if she really wanted to. It was no inconvenience to her. I had learned that the hard way. "Not much," I answered. "Training a bunch of newborns into an army. Drinking and sleeping. The usual."

She smirked. "As much as I love your yummy-liciousness Jazz honey, I think I'll refrain from sleeping with you for the next century. No amount of vampire immunity can keep me from the diseases your horny ass got. Not to mention your taste in fuck-buddies is appalling. Seriously. You're like a cat with no claws." She shook her head and gave me a mock frown. "Saddening, it truly is. I would have thought you'd have better sense, Major Whitlock."

Lyra was the reason the phrase 'playing the field' was invented. She slept with every guy, girl, and asexual person she could find. I once said she'd sleep with a bear if she was desperate enough. This earned me a right-handed slap and a cracked cheek. Hurt like hell too.

I smiled. "We can't all have the ability to attract and repel." This was what made Lyra special. This was what made her unique. She could give you the oddest attraction to a spot, a person, a thing...or she could give the cold shivers of fear that made you want to run from whatever it was she focused on. She gave me a chilling grin. "Ah, but we could, young Jasper. We could."

I didn't want to know. Lyra had twisted jokes and a weird sense of humor. I would much rather watch my irises turn black than listen to her prattle on and on about how we could all have some amazing gifts. Not worth my time, really. I looked at her. "Why are you here."

She gave me a look of feigned hurt. "I can't come visit my bestest friend in the whole wide world without wanting something?" I gave her a pointed look. "Talk." Her eyes flashed, the same way they always did when I went from Jazz to Major. "I have a favor to ask. There's a girl. Newborn. I would be her sire. She has an interesting gift. It may be a good addition to your little army. I need you to babysit her."

She wrinkled her nose. She saw no reason to end the Volturi. "Which would be." She took a deep breath. "She can cause pain. Mental pain. Just like that Volturi Witch. Different way, but still. Mental pain." A new plan was forming in my mind. Another witch. Like Jane. Having her on our side would be an asset to our cause. Perfect. "When is the soonest she can come."

"September." Even better. The Volturi would be arriving in the next year. A specific time, I didn't know. The sooner I gathered an army, the better it would be for me. "Great."

* * *

><p>A line was formed in front of me. Straight. Every female in the row was dressed in a short black dress. Every shirtless male wore a pair of black pants. I found it easier to establish who belonged where. Newborns. They were black. I color coded the members of my little army.<p>

"Turn." A silent shuffle of feet. A few mutters. I zero in the young ladies that speak. They quiet and drop their gaze. "Amanda. Penelope." The two talkative girls step out of the line, hands clasped behind their backs. They stare at the ground. "The two of you will bring me back three deer. Bucks. I want them dead. But not a puncture in their fur. Go."

They don't speak as they run off, into the forest. It is quiet. Too quiet. The whistling wind and shifting grass is all that fills my ears. I watch as the dark clouds roll across the sky. No sunshine. Yellow rays of light did not shower me today. But rain did. It fell light, a drizzle. "Dismissed." They filed back inside, back to wherever they were before they were called. Later today was training. Right now I wanted to enjoy the rain.

It was cleansing. One could feel the anxiety and stress wash off of them if only for a moment. It didn't take much. Just a simple look at the wet world around you had you observing, straining your eyes, watching for anything that moved to see if it created a new pattern for you to stare at.

I found a human, out in the woods. She was young, no older than eighteen at most. She had pretty red hair and the most striking brown eyes. Like little chocolates. Her voice was a disenchantment. "Who are you? What are you doing out here?" She shifted backward, putting space between us, space I could easily close. I didn't. Not yet. "I am Major Whitlock, ma'am." I turned on the southern charm. Her heart fluttered at my words, and her blood smelled so sweet. Like gumdrops and chocolate cake. _Gifted. _She was gifted.

It changed everything.

I wasn't loving or caring about who I turned. I bit them, carried them back to the ranch, and put them in a dark room until they awoke. I explained where they were and who I was and what their purpose to me was. There was fighting. Manipulation over emotions won out over newborn strength. They were inexperienced fighters, going for obvious positions that I easily deflected. It was the way of life.

Several minutes later, my mouth was covered in blood, and I had a redheaded child on my floor. Her name was Nikol. She went by Nikkie. I instructed Jonah to watch her for me. He was as skilled as I was in the area of fighting. He could easily take her.

She woke up on day two. I was impressed. Most didn't awake until the third day. Her eyes were bright red, like all newborns. And her gift. Impressive. She could put you to sleep. In better words, with some concentration she could knock you unconscious. Waves of trust and safety floated around the room. She looked up at me with a mix of fear and open relaxation. "You," she whispered, and pressed her gaze around the room, searching for the imaginary woman with the tinkling voice. After a thorough investigation and a few speaking tests, she turned her attention back. I nodded. "Me."

She lunged, going for the obvious kill; my throat. I step-sided and grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her and pinning her to the wall. She struggled, her newborn strength taking over. I sent out a feeling of lethargy. She slumped to the ground, her eyes crazed as she glared up at me, not understanding why she was on the floor.

"You will respect me, or you will find yourself resting in a pile of ashes. I have no patience for insubordinate children, including ones new to this way of life. You will listen, and you will heed my words." She nodded. Fear had crept into her now unbreakable bones, and she stayed on the floor, tense. I frowned. She wasn't as hard as the others. Cowardice was a shame, even in a vampire.

"I expect my rules to be followed. You will not leave without an escort. You are to stay on the land at all times. Any kills you make, you are to clean up. I will not have any humans becoming suspicious and directing that towards me. No humans on this land will be killed. You will serve me, and me alone. The rules may change if I see fit, but if they are not followed, there will be severe consequences."

She nodded slowly, and I released my hold on her. "You may leave now. Goodbye, Nikol." I waved my fingers in her direction before pointing towards the door. She left, a blur of blue and red.

I smiled. My army was almost complete.

* * *

><p><strong>July<strong>

With the sweltering heat and too bright sun and yellow grass came July. I bought an air-condition for the humans on the compound; they thanked me graciously for making things more comfortable for them. Alyssa simply recommended I get a better, more high-tech version next time.

Seven new recruits. A new record. Time flies when you have no concept of it. Julius. Calvin. Poppy. They were the only familial-related immortals on the ranch. Siblings. I didn't feel any remorse for turning the three of them. I did hold a slight grudge against the fact that one of them had tried to knock me unconscious with a wooden chair. Nonetheless, I gave them kudos to bravery. Not many would have the good sense to attack the attacker. They were smart.

I had sent five of my men into town. Melissa, Jason, Walker, Lawrence, Percy. Melissa held a certain energy around her. She wasn't one to be intimidated. Jason was a gifted newborn. He had not yet gained control over his abilities. He had a mental power. What, I hadn't discovered yet. But I would soon.

Lyra annoyed me once again. "Jazz, come play with me. Come on. Please? I need the practice, and so do you old man." I quirked an eyebrow at her. "I'm pretty sure you're older than me, Ly. No offence," I added with a smirk. Her eyes flashed and she crouched, in position to pounce.

I watched as her body sprang forward before grabbing her waist and pushing her back. She used her legs to hit the wall and flip forward, catching me in the chest and knocking me backwards. My feet screeched on the floor as I landed on the floor and sailed until I hit the wall. She came at me from the right. I clawed up, scratching her chin and knocking her up as I grabbed her body and threw her sideways.

Her arms clutched mine and she waiting until she came in contact with me before kicking. Hard. I hit the floor with a loud bang. She was on top of me, her teeth at my neck. Her deep chuckle was filled with humor. "Gotcha."

I pushed her off of me. "No fair. You cheated."

"All's fair in love and war, Jazzy-babe. Learn the rules before you come complaining to me."

I was about to retort when Lawrence burst through the door, knocking it off its hinges. _To add to the growing mess of things I have to get to fixed, _I thought with a sigh. "What is it. And it better be good." His words came out a rushed mess. "There's another. Immortal. Brunette. Female. Gifted. She just showed up. She was hunting and Melissa went to tell her off." I raised an eyebrow. "Sir," he added with wide eyes.

I nodded. "I'll sort it out."

I showed up to the scene. It wasn't hard to find. I was about to contemplate the situation when I saw her. Brown hair. Bright red eyes. Pretty lips. She was so...beautiful. She made my dead heart flutter.

And then I saw Percy pounce. In a simple twist, she had him dismembered and in pieces on the floor. Walker circled her. She lunged and they connected. Thunder echoed. She laughed as she swung out of his reach and I smiled. Her laugh was so cute. _What the fuck...did you completely lose your mind, or is it just on vacation. _I shook my head to clear the thoughts. Too fast for me to piece, Walker was on the floor.

I stepped forward. Bravo. I clapped at her performance. She had certainly gained my attention. "Now, now. Is that any way to treat a guest?" I looked at them. Melissa and Jason fell to their knees as I approached. "Walker," I called. His fear floated in my direction. He flipped them, on top. She lost her guard and ended up on her ass; regaining her footing, she shifted into a hunting crouch, her teeth bared. Smart girl.

"Major," he flinched as I took another step towards him. "I'll do better, sir. I promise." I smiled. All that training gone to waste. In a flash, I had him by the throat - he was beheaded and thrown to the ground like trash. "Melinda. You know what to do with the pieces." She nodded and ran off. I looked over at Jason. "Jason. Help me escort our guest to the grounds."

She snarled. _I like 'em feisty. _"On second thought, I'll take her myself. Why don't you find Vanessa and tell her about the fight you saw." Jason smiled and left. "Who are you. What the fuck do you want," she spat out. ""Major Whitlock, ma'am. And you would do well to sound grateful to the one who saved you."

Waves of apathy swirled through the air. She struggled before giving in, something I'd never observed before. "Follow me, darlin'." I took her hand, and butterflies ran through my stomach. A tingle ran through my arm and up my spine. Her emotions were simple; anger, which was normal. Curiosity. I had never experienced a curious one before. She was strange. My hand clutched hers a little tighter. She gave me a look like she wanted to remove it. Permanently. I stifled a chuckle and led her forward.

I felt the spell being broken. I let go of her hand, and she bolted, running, running fast. Despair. Loneliness. She fought them before stopping and falling to the ground, poised in a hunting crouch. I smiled and yanked her up by the arm, keeping a tight grip on her this time.

She glared at me, and I ignored it. I gestured to the wrought iron gates that led to my ranch. Rather than shy away from it like most, she stepped forward. Curious. I liked her. She was different. It was a welcome change.

The gates swung closed behind us. She was mine now.

* * *

><p><em>So, next chap is Bella and Jasper banter from JPOV, and then Bella is back. Hope you enjoyed this one. Geez, inspiration should really visit more often.<em>

_Reviews are like dollars, I'm so happy to get so many. Bye!_

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	14. Chapter 13: Frogs

_So, how did last chapter go? I gotta up the action. I'm losing readers. GASP! So, I hope you all enjoyed last chapter, even though it wasn't much. But now you get to read Jasper/Bella interactions! Yay! ...I hope, it's yay...Be forewarned, however, these are somewhat short._

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and DJ for pre-reading.**

Warning: Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

* * *

><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<strong>  
>Chapter 13 - Frogs<p>

**Jasper**

** July**

I watched as she kicked off of the boulder and landed behind me. I turned. She swung at me and I ducked. Her foot swept under my own, catching me off guard and making me fall. She turned to run and I kicked at her ankle. She hit the ground to the side of me. I rolled onto her, grabbing her wrists and pinning them to the brown earth. She growled, a loud one that had me questioning my safety still on top of her like this. "Get off me, you lunatic!" Her pelvis collided with my stomach, a weak attempt to buck me off of her.

I tried to calm her down. Force her submission. She resisted it. She resisted _me_. I'd never seen anything like it, except in Alyssa. She was filled with rage, and it was directed at me.

My distraction served her well. She flipped us, reversing our positions and straddling me. I gazed into her red eyes, red like fine wine and the delicious crimson blood we drank. Electricity filled the air. I could feel it run between us, where her hands gripped below mine. Sparks ran through me, around me, and under me; a currant sent every nerve on my body into overdrive. She jumped off of me. I was up within an eighth of a second, restraining her.

She growled and fought against me. _That wouldn't do if I was to mold her into one of my soldiers._ "I see you're a feisty one. Don't worry. I'll get rid of that in no time." She shivered at my words. I led her back to the compound. She walked, but she looked millions of miles away. She crossed the threshold of the land and walked on her own, to the house, and then down the hall.

I walked into my office. Someone had left a file for me. In big bold print, the front of the manila folder was marked, Isabella Marie Swan. Inside I found a color photo picture of the newest addition to my world. I skimmed lightly, reading about her birth, death, and any other key points added to the file. I took out a book and a notepad and began to rewrite the information. A knock. "Enter," I said. I put the file away, in the desk drawer, but continued writing. Zacharie came in some seconds later, dragging Isabella with her. She kneeled, looking up at Isabella briefly before looking down again. I noticed Isabella copy Zacharie's moves, eyes cast downward, hands folded behind her back.

"Zacharie. Speak," I demanded. She took a short breath. "I apologize, Major. It was my responsibility to look after and guide her, and I have failed you." I nodded. She had allowed Isabella to escape. Had she gotten away, I would never have found her again. She would be gone, a grain of dirt in the wind.

I got up. The old chair creaked. "Both of you. Look at me." They looked up. I did a quick inspection of their irises. Zacharie's were filled with submission and obedience. She had learned from her last punishment, as I had hoped. Isabella was different. Her eyes held determination and defiance. She was not one to give up easily, I could tell from the fire that burned inside her eyes, and I was sure she could be quite the imp. I looked at Zacharie. I could feel the rage that boiled up within me. I walked towards her slowly, feeling her fear and anxiety wash over me like a cold blanket.

"You disappointed me. I expected you to be able to handle Isabella, Zacharie." She looked up, surprise coloring her features at my knowledge of her name. I smiled inwardly. "What has occurred today is completely unacceptable. Your lack of responsibility put many lives at risk. I trusted you to be the one to teach her, and I want it understood that you will." Zacharie didn't speak. My gaze turned to Isabella. Unlike the blond next to her, she glared back with as much fire as she had. Her eyes flashed with a look of rebellion and anger. I felt her disapproval of Zacharie's submission to me. _Soon you will follow her example._

"You, Isabella. You have disrupted the peace of my home. Soon you will learn how this household works. And you will learn that certain actions will be punished." Her eyes widened at my words, and I felt the rage increase, saw the fire burn brighter in her glowing red orbs.

I stood in front of Zacharie. She didn't move, didn't fight it. Her head dropped, eyes with it as she stared at my shoes and the floor. I would have none of it. I placed my palm under her chin and pushed it back up. Her eyes met mine, silent pleading and a promise to do better in them. Good. I stroked her hair gently.

My arm jutted out without warning. The smack of my hand against her cheek echoed. She winced. I saw Isabella cringe as well. Zacharie let out a barrel of emotions. Shame radiated off of her. A small morsel of anger laid there, but she didn't act. She simply accepted her fate and let chips fall into place.

"Zacharie. Speak."

"I will teach her, Major. I apologize for disappointing you. I will do better." She talked, obeying me like the puppy she was. I nodded. "We will see if you are forgiven in time. You will spend 2 nights with me as punishment. I expect you in my office, at seven o'clock sharp. You know how I want you when I send for you." She nodded. I knew she knew. Sex wasn't an often used punishment, but then again, I was a man. I had needs. "You are dismissed. Go to your room and stay there until I come for you." She nodded and left.

Isabella got up with her. I was in front of her, my hands around her waist, pulling her flush against me. I could feel her body on mine and the electricity that ran through us gave me a pleasure-filled shockwave. "Where are you going, Isabella? We aren't done." She hissed at me. Her arms reached out and pushed me away, knocking me backwards as she pressed embraced the wall. I was at her side. She kicked against the wall and landed behind me.

Pain. My venom cried out for the missing arm that had once been there. I swept my legs under her own. She went down with a thud. I retrieved my arm, pushing it back into place like you would an assemble-able toy. We snarled at each other until she got up. I rushed at her. She ducked, but my fingers found purchase. I felt her hand within my own as I clutched it like a glorious trophy. She roared, and rage filled the room like oxygen filled the air. I grabbed at her, but she cartwheeled away, evading my hand; I tackled her.

She didn't move in time and ended up pinned beneath me. My arms gripped her own. Her legs couldn't find a viable target. She reared her head back and jerked it forward. It hit my throat, and in surprise I loosened my hold. She grabbed her hand, which had fallen to the floor, and re-attached it. Her other one shot out and gripped my throat. My back slammed into the floor. It had been faster than expected, and my brain quickly played catch up as she jumped away from me, hitting the wall by one of the windows. She looked at it, the cogs of her brain turning as she thought about a way out.

I got up and used both hands to grab her throat, slamming her backwards onto the cream-colored walls. I lifted her higher in the air. She struggled against me.

Suddenly, my hands just released her. She hit the floor with a thump.

"Go," I ordered. She sat there, immobile, glaring up at me with her rebellious stare. "Get the fuck out." She growled at my words.

"How the fuck dare you. What the fuck gives you the right to tell people what to do! I am not your slave. I'm not some cute little puppy that you can train with treats and rewards. And neither is Zak. Seriously, what in God's name is wrong with you." She had the female equivalent of balls. I snarled at her. A twinge of fear crept over her, only to be pushed away again.

She left, backing away, waiting until she was far enough from me before turning and running. I watched her leave and was left to wonder what exactly I had begun.

* * *

><p>A soft knock. "Enter," I called. It was 7:35. Zacharie had arrived holding a small black backpack. I had told her to find her bondage supplies before she came to me. Much to her luck, I had placed them somewhere easy to access and find. She stepped in and flipped the light switch nearby, turning on the red light above the door. It was my warning light, used when I wanted no one to bother me.<p>

I stood. "Well?" I asked. She stayed where she was, looking slightly out-of-it. "Are you going to get over here and start yourself, or will I have to begin this time?" She nodded, walking over and sinking to her knees in front of me. My pants were off quickly, the elastic of the dark blue boxers snapping against my skin as she fumbled with it. "Hurry up," I barked. "I don't have all day." She nodded and removed them.

My cock sprang free from the mesh fabric and smacked her cheek. She looked at it before I reached over and pushed her head down onto it, making her reflexively gag. I growled. "Take it. All of it." She regained her composure and moved her head further down, swallowing my shaft until her nose touched my pubic hairs. I groaned. She sucked and sucked, head moving up and down, my cock sliding over her lips. She reached a hand up to fondle my balls; tugging at the sack, she elicited another groan from me. I placed my fingers through her hair and pushed her head down further, controlling the movements as I sped up her pace.

"Faster," I commanded. She moved quickly, finally grazing her teeth over my sensitive head. I felt my venom shoot into her mouth. "Swallow it," I said with my eyes closed as I reveled in pleasure. I heard the sounds of swallowing and smiled in satisfaction.

I opened my eyes. Seeing her naked made me hard all over again. I reached over and pulled a pair of nipple clamps out from the bag. Tightening them on her already pert pink nubs, I yanked on the string that connected the clamps. She hissed. I returned to the bag and pulled from it a paddle, some ropes, and a small ball-gag. Zacharie would never admit it outloud to the others, her peers, but she enjoyed being dominated. I knew she'd been part of the BDSM community before being turned. She was a natural submissive.

The ropes were tied, double-looped over her breasts and arms, connecting them as she stood, the rope keeping her from moving as every movement she made pulled on the nipple clamps. I took the paddle, rubbing the soft padded side on her small ass. Suddenly, I flipped it over and landed a sharp smack on her ass. She jerked from the force. Another smack echoed as the wood hit her cheeks; I alternated between them, giving gentle taps and full-blown smacks at random intervals.

She cried out. I inserted the ball-gag into her open mouth. Changing her position as I placed her on my desk, I stared into her glistening wet pussy before sliding in. My cock was surrounded by warmth, and I pounded into her relentlessly, going faster and harder and then slowing down before speeding up again. She jerked when I hit her g-spot, crying out soundlessly behind the rubber ball gag. I could feel her shaking. I removed the gag from her mouth so she could speak.

"Please may I cum?" Her eyes were shut tight, trying to regain the control of her imending orgasm. I continued going. "Not yet," I answered. She whimpered. "Please?" She begged. "Please, Major. Please, please, please." I thrust deeper into her, making her cry out softly. "Please!" She begged.

I could feel it; the tightening in my balls that meant I close. "Cum," I grunted out. She let go and contracted around me. The feeling of her tight warm pussy on my hard shaft was all I needed. I gave a couple more thrusts before I came, sighing as she milked me for all I was worth. I undid the ropes and let her stand. "You may leave."

She didn't look back as she blurred away. I sat there, still as a statue, wondering why I had the urge to imagine brown hair and wine red eyes.

* * *

><p>Isabella Swan was hot. There were no doubts about that. She was also a major pain in my ass.<p>

I found her that same night, creeping around outside. She had no sense of quiet whatsoever. She was louder than a marching band in a library. "Isabella," I said. She turned to look at me and narrowed her eyes.

She growled at me. "Where's Zak?" She demanded. I quirked an eyebrow at her, but didn't press it. "She's in your room. Putting her clothing back on." Another growl. The girl was more dog than vampire. "I trust Victor has informed you who is to be your escort." She nodded.

"Well, I'm going out. I'll be back when I'm good and full. Bye."

Before I could realize what had just happened, she was gone. I followed her. She jumped and swung through trees, twisting and turning, looking pretty graceful. I heard her chuckle at something before she growled. She stopped on a tall oak tree, glaring at me. The space between the oak and my own wide fir was enough to keep us from killing each other. She raised an eyebrow at me.

"You know, stalking is a federal crime. You could get arrested." I felt thee corners of my mouth twitch. No. I didn't smile. I didn't laugh, I didn't play. Only Lyra had seen me do such things.

She suddenly turned and ran. We came across two humans. One was brandishing a knife, the metal blade covered in shiny red. She attacked. He screamed. She snarled. He tried stabbing her with the knife. She laughed before knocking it away from him. Her teeth latched into his neck; her hand went up to his mouth, closing it, blocking the echo of sound her made. At the sound of my approach, she swung into the trees. Eventually, the body fell to the ground with a thud.

She looked at me. Her hair had leaves and twigs in it, not to mention endless amounts of dirt. Her clothes were bloody and stained. Her meal was spread all over her mouth. I grimaced. She was so messy. Like a child. There was nothing wrong with it, of course; but weren't ladies supposed to be neat with their food?

"A woman should be clean, especially with her kill." She looked up at the sound of my voice, stopping her inspection, and glared at me. "Your point?"

"Clean yourself up." She gave me a look of amusement. "How about this. I'll clean up when you take the stick out your ass. It's jammed up there pretty far." Anger flowed through me loosely. This girl had no idea what I was capable of.

"As a woman, you must learn your place." Confusion. Resignation. They flickered through her like human children flicked boogers.

"What's your name again? I want to remember so I can mark it by your ashes."

I rolled my eyes. "Stop your theatrics. I simply meant you need to act proper. Like a lady." She gagged. I sighed. This would take some work.

* * *

><p>I watched her as she played with the wet sand. It made me smile for a second. She got up. Walked around. Eventually sat on a hill. Her soaked clothing changed the dirt into mud within seconds. She scooped some up. I watched as she wiped some on her face, giving her a dark brown war mask. She smiled and I could feel the relaxation she carried as my own muscles loosened up.<p>

_Fuck. _I was being influenced by her. "Time to go," I announced. She looked back at me and flicked her hand. Splattered mud was all over my clean white shirt. Flecks were around my mouth and on my face. She smiled up at me innocently and went back to her activities. I growled a little and used the back of my hand to wipe it off of me. "Isabella. Now," I demanded. She paid me no mind. I heard her giggle a little, but I didn't understand what was so funny.

"_Now,_" I snarled. She snickered and grinned at me. "Aw, someone's angry." I had enough. I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. She didn't fight me, simply looking around at the scenery changes as we blurred past everything. When we reached the ranch once again, I set her on her feet and gave her a look. She fluttered her eyelashes innocently.

I left, but not before I saw Nikol confronting Isabella. I stuck around, out of sight, to listen.

"You must be the new one."

"Yes, I am. You're the old one, right?" Isabella was a fiery little thing. If she wasn't so goddamn annoying and insubordinate, I might actually like her.

"_I _am Nikkie. And I don't care who you are." I saw Isabella give her a murderous smile.

"The Major is a little smitten with you. It's all over the compound. You're new, so no one expected you to last long. The Major is an irresistible man." Nikol had no problem getting punished for her misdeeds. She often sought me out herself. I had usually taken to avoiding her unless I was in the mood myself.

"Um, yeah, hi. Me again. Getting a little bored here. Wanna speed this up?"

"My point is, I want this," she gestured between Isabella and my office, "to stop. The Major is mine. One day he will realize I am his true mate. Until then, stay out of trouble and stay out of his way. Clear?" The ignorant redhead would never see me as I was. I was a vicious killer and a cold monster. I gave her wigs, ripped from the scalp of a dead human, and pints of blood with eyeballs in them; she saw pretty multicolored butterflies and soft rose petals.

"Crystal."

Nikol was not my mate. I didn't have one. I would never have one. Mating was for those that believed in love. I was no such fool.

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><p><em>So, hope you all liked. I decided to do a little preview thing this time, so if you want a preview to next chapter, review! <em>

_Reviews are like watching Bella and Jasper fight it out, while you're holding popcorn and drinking soda. I would SO do that if I could. Anyways, bye lovelies!_

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	15. Chapter 14: Shark in the Water

_So, did you guys like Jasper's last few words? Well, for now, at least. He still has plenty to say, but he won't be back for a little while. Now we shall get back to Bella. She's much more fun._

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and DJ for pre-reading.**

Warning: Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

* * *

><p><strong>Previously...<strong>_  
><em>

_Before I could consider my next move, his hand had grabbed my ankle and I was on the ground as well. He grabbed a chunk of grass and tossed it at me. I scattered in the wind, a few pieces catching my hair. I laughed and grabbed my own handful, throwing it at him and running._

_He caught up to me quickly. Wrapping his hands around my waist, he pulled me back and crushed me against his chest. I responded by wrapping my arms around his torso. We hugged. It felt stranger everyday._

_He licked the front of my forehead. I laughed. "It's good to hear you laugh."_

_I froze and looked up. Jonah was smirking at me again. I stared in shock. He sighed. "You people have got to stop assuming I'm mute."_

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 14 - Shark in the Water

He could talk. I'd been complaining to a mute guy, who wasn't really mute and everyone just assumed was mute. It took me a second. A full, actual second. Not half of a second, not an eighth of a second, a full sixty milliseconds. I was fucking speechless. Truly a first, for me.

"Bella? Bella?" He waved a hand in front of my face. I didn't move. Just stared. "Did I break you? Fuck, Jasper will kill me." _Jasper. _His name snapped me out of it. "Since when the fuck could you talk," I growled under my breath. He shrugged. "I don't talk around others very often. Those I trust, I talk. Those I don't, assume I'm mute."

"Shit. I have so much to ask you. Who was that woman? In that...vision? And the people in that family."

He was silent for a moment. "She was my mate. Her name was Melanie." He had avoided the family question. I had a feeling whatever the answer was, it wasn't good.

His next sentence wasn't gumdrops and lollipops either. "You'll like Alice eventually."

I stared at him. No. I wouldn't like her. She was too prissy and feminine. I could tell from her stance and body language. She avoided dirt like the plague. She didn't roll around in puddles or chase after deer just for the thrill. She went shopping at a mall and bought shitloads of items people like us didn't need. _People like us. _Immortals had no use for the latest lipstick or the newest perfume._ Unless it was made from blood. _

I sat down on an overturned tree and stared up at the clear blue sky. Jonah left. I was alone with my thoughts. Bad. I didn't want to be alone. I wandered into the forest, walking aimlessly. And then I came across something that interested me.

Jasper. Nikkie. I wondered if they were having their annual slut-of-the-month convention. He was sure to win. I'd even cast my vote to help. It would be close, but he would be awarded a shiny gold trophy for sure. Two against one was only fair. He growled. His hand was on her throat, her back against the tree; his pearly whites were sharp and gleaming with a fresh coating of venom. "Don't spread lies about what is not. Mate or no mate, I will not stand for it."

She laid there like a limp ragdoll. Her voice came out a little hoarse. "I apologize, Major. I merely was alerting the fledgling to our relationship. I didn't want her to develop feelings for something that could not happen." She looked a little shaky. Her red hair was disheveled. They'd been doing something before this. I saw scratches, marks against several trees nearby. Either a good fight had broke out, or they'd been fucking outside. Ugh. It made me want to hurl my last snack.

He growled again. His hand tightened on her throat. I could feel her fear. He seemed to breathe it in. "What knowledge do you have of this? Speak it now, or wish you hadn't mentioned such words." He had those crazy, wild eyes. They were big and ember red, like the beginnings of a fire. But the most dominant emotion inside them was pain; they were full of pain. What pain did he have? He was the one who inflicted, not a victim.

I could feel her increasing fear, and the small twinge of defiance that flashed across her face. "None. I have no knowledge. I was simply stating-"

"State nothing. You don't know what could be and what could not. Do not insult me with mindless babble and head games. And do not insult her. She is far superior to you in any stance." He released her and turned, leaving. She was there, on the ground, almost afraid to move.

Pride. It swelled my head to an enormous height. He had stood up for me. _But why? _All questions had answers. _Hopefully._

I walked, further away from her, into the woods. And then I felt it, the frustration, the loneliness, the anger. I didn't understand why. My past may not have been rose petals and daffodils, but I had never shed a tear. I had learned how to be tough and strong and survive. There was no use crying over spilled milk. You cleaned it up and hoped for another drink.

I ran. Jumped onto a tall oak. Through the trees, millions and millions of them, climbing, leaping, bounding. A crash of thunder caught my attention. A storm. Close. Euphoria filled me. I loved the rain. It cleanse you, washed away your imperfections and worries and troubles until you were just you.

Until I was just me, a young immortal who laughed and jogged and flung herself at the storm with open arms, whispering silently for it to take her with it, away from everything.

* * *

><p>Alice and Jasper. Fighting. A bleached blond and big burly man stood together, watching them. She was a quick little thing. He went for a grab and came up with air. Her movements were quick. She climbed up the tree before jumping down, hitting the ground and pushing him backwards. A loud thud filled the air as he hit the tree, toppling it over onto the ground.<p>

He got up. His eyes narrowed and he flung himself at her, tackling her to the forest floor, landing on top of her and holding down her arms. She kicked. He narrowly missed the brick building she had aimed for, hitting another tree; it, too, fell to the ground. He was getting up when he froze. She was on his back, her lips at his neck. "Gotcha," she chuckled. He nodded.

"Nice work, Alice," he complimented. She beamed and flounced back to the pair standing by a large dark green truck. A Jeep, I think. Her voice reminded me of silver chimes. "Your turn, Em."

The big man got up. Tiny Alice went to stand next to Blondie, who spied me watching them. Her lips curled into a grimace. I growled. _There's plenty of room in my fireplace for more than body. _The blur of two manly bodies, one blond and strong, the other dark and muscled, caught my attention and had me in rapture. It was like a dance. I hadn't seen it that way with Alice, but here, I wasn't as blind. They moved, ferociously, quick and graceful, like the cobra as it moves to strike, weaving itself in intricate circles before finally darting out and biting.

Crash. Stone against stone, skin against skin. Their snarls filled the air, and made the dance seem more deadly. Faster and faster. I saw him tackle the bigger one full-strength; they hit another tree and knocked several down. _If a tree falls, but no one is around, do you hear it? _I believed so. The big one stopped. He pouted. Jasper was smiling, his teeth shiny and inches from the mans thick neck.

"Not fair. I demand a rematch." He continued to pout as he sat next to the blond again. She kissed his lips and had him back to a grin.

She turned to look at Jasper with hatred. He glared back, frowning, his eyes glimmering with a hint of amusement. "Rosalie. You're welcome to try your hand, if you'd like."

"I'd rather not," she spoke, curtly. Her eyes focused on me. He noticed me and frowned. The amusement was replaced by something else. "Isabella. Was there something you needed?"

I shook my head and grinned. "Nope. I'll just continue to hope you get your ass kicked. This is better than cable television."

"Maybe you should do it," a voice snapped. Blondie. Rosalie. Whatever the fuck her name was. I rolled my eyes at her. "Of course, your highness. God forbid you get bored watching us mere mortals flounder about on land whilst you sit atop your throne." Her lips curled into another grimace. I swear Jasper's lips twitched. Again. I smiled at her. _If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. _I walked into the imaginary sparring circle, watching attentively as he angled himself for the perfect move.

He threw himself at me. I step-sided, watching as he skidded on the ground before turning, giving me an evil snarl. Frustration crept into my joints and released itself in bundles of useful energy. I kicked, punched, dodged, and ducked. His hand caught my wrist and I was pinned, stuck on the ground, pine needles against my cheek.

He smiled. "We're done here." I snarled when he released me and began to walk away. _The fuck we are. _I jumped, landing onto his back, and brought my arm around his throat, putting him in a choke-hold. My legs wrapped around his waist and I clung to him as he tried to yank me off.

I purposefully kicked his leg backwards, making him lose any remaining balance and fall. Unfortunately, I was still clinging to him. He fell forward, and I shifted, my entire body now onto the front of his.

We stared up at each other, his fire red eyes boring into mine. My arm was now curled around his neck, in a sweet, loving position. My legs, still wrapped around his waist, aligned my sex with his own. Our chests touched, and I could feel his hands, warm despite our natural cold, on my shirt, leaving hums of electricity to run through my body.

_He slammed into me, and I cried out, pain focusing every nerve of my body and sending me into agony. He moaned. "Shit, Isabella. You're so fucking tight." Another thrust. My tears trailed out of the corner of my eyes, onto the pillow. "That's it, baby. Make me cum." _

_I closed my eyes shut and felt him wrap my legs around his waist; it provided a new angle, one that made me scream. His dick, a hard appendage that made me cringe, pulsed inside of me, emptying his seed into the rubber condom._

_He pulled out of me and removed it, pushing some fingers into my hole with a sadistic grin. I cried out again, screaming profanities as I struggled against his grip on my arms. He covered my mouth with his hand and smiled down at me with wide shining eyes as he whispered into my ears the words that started it all. "You are so much prettier than your mother."_

I shoved him away from me and stood. My legs distanced us on their own, and I was grateful. His face flickered before he smoothed it again. "I'll be back." His voice was gruff. He left, disappearing into the trees.

Alice frowned. Rosalie rolled her eyes. The bigger one walked over to me. "Hi," he said, friendlier than most. "I'm Emmett." I nodded. I could be polite too. "Bella," I said, shaking his outstretched hand. Rosalie huffed, loudly, and walked away.

Emmett trailed behind his diamond-clad wife. "C'mon babe! It was just a friendly hello!" I shook my head and walked away.

* * *

><p>I was sitting on the branch of a pine tree, dangling my feet over the edge of the world. It struck me how utterly weak humans were. A fall from this tree, at this height, was a walk in the park for me. For humans, it could kill them - if it didn't turn them into a quadriplegic.<p>

"You know, I come up here to think too." I snarled; I hadn't smelled any approaching people. Lost in my thoughts. Again. I turned.

She had long black hair that ended near the small of her back. Big gold eyes stared at me. Her lips were painted with bright red lipstick, and she was wearing a scanty crimson dress that reached her upper thigh. A piece of paper came from her pocket and slid into my hand. "Oh, and that Nikkie chick told me to give this to you." I opened it up. Inside was a interestingly threatening poem.

_Roses are red,  
>Violets are blue,<br>He's for me,  
>And not for you,<br>So if by chance you take my place,  
>I'll take my fist,<br>And smash your face_

I growled and crumpled the paper into a ball. "Looks like first grade is coming back to haunt me." The rhyme didn't scare me. Nor did the sender of the message. It was slightly festive. I shook my head and sighed. Some girls didn't get it. When you don't want it, you don't want it.

I looked back at the woman, the one that had brought me the message. "I'm Lyra," she nodded with an encouraging smile. "Bella," I replied. It was only fair to trade names. What better way to gain those for my own army? To find the head ram in a field of sheep, you had to acquire information first.

"Been her long?" I asked. She shook her head. "No. Not long at all. I'm a friend of Jasper's. Well, actually, more than that, but that's what he would call it."

"And what would you call it?"

"Well, technically, I'm his ex-wife."

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><p><em>Random ending, huh? Yeah, I just felt like ending it there. Not too much drama or anything in this chapter. Weird. Kinda gotta change that. Anyways, tune into next chapter ladies and gents! Bye!<em>

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	16. Chapter 15: Onions

_Last few words were...random. What a random way to end a chapter, huh? As always, thank you all for reading and reviewing. Your reviews were especially hilarious, and I enjoyed reading all of them. And yes, last chapter held the first of many glimpses into Bella's past. Her human life, that is. For those of you who hope Bella will never mate with Jasper, this story may be the wrong choice for you. Or, you may like how I set things up. Your call._

_OH! And to_ **I'mABitchI'mALiar**_, two things:  
>1. No, Bella caught NIKKIE and Jasper going at it. Although I will admit, I had toyed with the idea of Bella finding Lyra and Jasper instead.<br>And 2. I fucking love your penname. Too cool. _

_Enjoy the chapter. Names, anonymous or not, will be in the ending AN._

**Gracias to Erika for beta-ing and DJ for pre-reading.**

Warning: Violence. Vulgarity. BDSM themes and lemons eventually.

* * *

><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 15 - Onions

_Huh. So Sparkles has some history of his own. _"I thought he was a manwhore."

She laughed. "He is. Trust me. But then, again, I shouldn't be one to talk. So am I." My interest was lost. Whores of a feather flock together. "Okay."

"You have a past too, I believe. You shy away from any kind of sexual relation. Why is that?"

_Mind you own fucking business, lady. _"Personal reasons. So, why did you two decided to tie the knot again? If you're both whores, wouldn't you end up cheating on each other anyway?" She chuckled. I didn't see what was so funny about my inquiry. It was a common fact. When two people married, they were generally willing to work out the marriage. Maybe sluts had the same foundation?

"Let me ask you something, Bella. When a woman sleeps with more than two men, she is a whore, or a slut, agreed? But when a man sleeps with more than two woman, he is a champion. Why do you think that is?"

I wracked my brain for an answer. I had none. I knew we all resided in a world that was said to be led by men. It didn't have to be, nor was it really. Speculation led to common belief, which in turn led to stupid tradition and idiotic rules. A man is not allowed to hit a woman. Men have to open doors for women. I only agreed with one of them. I could open my own door, thank you.

"Well, that's not my belief. Male or female, I don't give a fuck. And it's not just a more than two people rule. If you go looking for sex with random people, you're a whore. Case closed."

She gave me a quirky smile. "Nice answer. I feel that way to. Although, I am the previously affirmed whore." Against my will, I snorted. _Damn right you are._

"And to answer your question, it was a bet. I knew Jasper always hated making big productions involving things. Things like weddings and birthday parties are not his favorites. We were watching a rodeo. He placed money on who would win. Specifically, fifteen thousand dollars. After he was right the first three times, he got cocky. I upped the stakes. If he lost, he had to pay me half his winnings and marry me. You can tell what happened."

I nodded. I got it. It was a bet. She continued talking. "Jasper has never shown the slightest interest in marriage. Honestly, he's a little rusty in the love department. He has girls after him all the time. He could easily find a bride. But he doesn't." She looked up at the darkening sky and sighed. "I don't understand why."

"Marriage isn't for everyone," I blurted out. She looked at me quizzically. I could only imagine how my cheeks would be burning if I was still human. "It requires a certain amount of trust, from both people. You have to trust the other person, and you have to be trusted yourself." Her eyes held a certain answer in them, one I couldn't quite place.

"Not that I care, or anything. I was just explaining. You said you didn't understand." She nodded. "I appreciate you helping me. Maybe I'll see you around."

We said our goodbyes and she ran off. I sat there, staring up at the sky. Stars twinkled brightly, whispering to each other in the dark of the night. The moon winked at me with her lunar glow.

Rustling. The bushes. I looked a few yards to the right. A small child walked through the trees with a sturdy young man. Her voice came first. "Cruel fate. That was what it was. The universe was laughing at me. I found an enticing, incredibly sexy woman that I should be worshiping all day and night. And she hates me. Because I kidnapped her. I'm a screw-up. Irony is a fucking bitch. I hate everyone."

He growled. "I get it. I'm an idiot. You don't have to do that."

She snarled at him in the darkness. _Alice. _Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. "Boohoo, boohoo, boohoo. I have to fight the Volturi in a few months. I'm not ready, no wait, I'm ready, no wait, I met my mate and suddenly I'm not ready again, no, it's okay, nevermind, she isn't into me at all so I can go again, no wait-"

"That's enough, Alice-"

"I'm Jasper Whitlock! I'm confident as shit and can get the ladies into my pants with a goddamn wink or a motherfucking smile! But I can't do anything smart like try to be fucking compassionate towards other people or not put myself first in every fucking equation!"

He grabbed her by the throat and with lightening speed, pushed her against a tree. His hand gripped her tightly as she squirmed underneath him, her hands confined in one of his own. "Never. Interrupt me. Again." She growled but nodded. He let her go. She gently landed on the ground. Her expression was one of anger and urgency.

She dived, going for his legs and tackling him to the ground. He flipped them, ending up on top of her. She brought her leg up and kneed him in what looked like the stomach. He rolled off, growling and cupping his balls like fragile china. She kicked him in the stomach, then stepped back and cocked her head to one side, staring at him.

"Are you done yet?" He looked up at her question and nodded. His teeth clenched together with an audible snap. "Good. Because I'm not. Jasper, I love you like a brother, but you are the biggest goddamn son-of-a-bitch I have ever met. You are mates. Accept it, or not, I don't honestly give a flying fuck. But it is true, and eventually, you will realize love exists, and that it can for you."

He was silent. She continued. "You think I didn't notice? I was there, Jasper. The night at the club. I saw how you looked at her. And then you saw another guy kiss her and you looked like your whole world was just shattered. I know about that girl. The redhead."

This was given a response. "What do you know? That she was a delicious meal and I don't regret a thing? You and the entire fucking world, Alice."

She ignored him. "I know you didn't kill her right away. Usually you find them and feed. I don't approve of your lifestyle. We can get along with humans. They don't have to die to serve our cause."

He laughed a humorless chuckle. "That's like convincing the thousands of meat-eating humans to give up their ways in an effort to save animals all over the planet. It can't be done."

"But her. You didn't kill her right away. Why is that?" Silence followed. He didn't look remorseful. He looked thoughtful.

"I was thinking of the right time and place. Stay out of my business, and next time I'll tell you straight off."

"Bullshit. You thought you had a chance. Something she did proved otherwise and you used her like every other female you see."

"You're wrong. We're not mates, goddamn it! Learn to interpret that gift of yours before coming to me about this shit."

She growled and shoved him onto the ground. "Listen up, Jasper 'I Think With My Dick' Whitlock, and you listen good. Firstly, Isabella Swan is your godforsaken mate, and you better learn to fucking accept it. Secondly, her name is Bella. B-E-L-L-A. Bella. Learn it, live it, and love it. You calling her Isabella all the damn time is giving me a migraine. Thirdly, shut the fuck up with all this 'love doesn't exist' crap and learn how to do something more than charm a girl out of her panties. Woo someone. Be kinder; more compassionate. And stop with the whore act. I'm done sleeping with you, and you need to step up."

"Leave. Now."

She glared. "I will leave whenever I'm fucking done, asswipe. Like I was saying, that whole charming chicks out of their underwear thing? Gotta stop. Like, ASAP. You don't find love because you don't give it a chance. Think about that the next time you're out and about with some slutty piece of tail."

She blurred away and left. I stood there, speechless. Alice had just kicked Jasper's ass, ripped him a new asshole, and made him shit from both of them.

I think we would get along great.

* * *

><p>I ended up going back to the room I was assigned. I fell backwards onto the fluffy bed and laid there, arms outstretched, for quite some time. My eyes closed. My thought began to swirl inside my head, creating a jumbled mix of words and faces.<p>

A plop on the bed. The distinctive scent of apples. _Alyssa. _I opened my eyes. She was sitting there, smiling at me. "Did you know that spiders have two different body sections? The front is the cephalothorax, and the back is the abdomen. That's where the web comes from."

Weird kid. "And you know this, how?" She giggled at my question. "School, silly. Jasper said I'm home-schooled. He said I'm lucky, because if I went to regular school like the other kids I wouldn't get to learn such cool things. But sometimes I wish I did. Then I would have other kids to hang out with. But I love spiders. They're cute. And they're really good predators."

She chattered on aimlessly, but I was lost in memory, thinking of a brunette, brown-eyed little girl who was afraid of spiders.

_Fear ran through my veins. I screamed. "Mommy!" There were no pounding footsteps. My door was not shoved open. I heard her slow, small footsteps as she walked to my room. The door creaked as she gently pushed it, annoyance written on her face as she pulled the dark pink bathrobe around her tighter. "What's wrong, Bella?" I saw her roll her eyes. I whimpered and pointed to the one inch, eight-legged arachnid that had frightened me._

_She sighed. "It's just a spider, honey. Go back to sleep." She turned to leave, when I heard heavy footsteps. Phil poked his head in the doorway, pushing away the door from my mother. "Everything okay?" His tone of concern angered me. My own mother couldn't even show enough concern. How did a man that wasn't even related to me show his need for my safety better than my own blood?_

_"It's just a spider, babe," Renee said, suddenly awake. She had perked up in his presence, and smoothed down her hair as he fretted over me. I looked over at the ceramic unicorn I often thought of throwing at her. "Let's go back to bed. Bella's a big girl. She can handle it." Her fingers traced over his clothed chest suggestively. He frowned. She muttered something and stepped back. _

_Phil walked into the room. I pointed at the spider, watching it attentively. He gave me a small smile, and grabbed a magazine from the pile by my desk. In one simple motion, he scooped it up and opened the window, setting it outside. "There," he said, turning to me. "All gone. You need your sleep Bella. Try to go back to sleep."_

_I nodded. "Thank you," I said, remembering the manners I had been taught by my grandmother. He smiled. "Anytime, sweetheart." Renee beamed, and took Phil's arm. "Ready to continue what was interuppted?" I saw her wink. He grinned. "Of course."_

_They left. I laid back down, drifting into sleep instantly, and had the most amazing dream. My mother cared; she loved me and she showed it. Grandma wasn't dead. Everything was sunshine and lollipops and adorable kittens that looked like my dead cat Beanie. I had met my dad and he and my mom got married, and everyone lived happily ever after._

_And then I woke up._

I caught the tail-end of what she was saying. "...and he's leaving tomorrow." I looked at her. "Who?" She gave me a look, half-glare and half something else, before repeating herself. "Jasper. He's leaving tomorrow."

This was news. "Who's gonna be in charge while he's gone?" Her face scrunched up. "_Lyra_." She said her name like you said the word _cancer _or _boogers_. "I don't like her. She always looks at me like I'm something to eat." Which she was. To vampires, she was the forbidden treat. It made her that much more enticing. However, I knew she was important, and furthermore, I liked her.

"Don't worry. Lyra won't harm you. I wouldn't let her if she tried," I reassured. She nodded. "He's going to Denver, Colorado. I don't know why. I can't any bad feeling off of him though, so that means it's not something dangerous." I could feel the slightest amount of pressure inside of me as it was released. Was that...relief?

I shook it off. I would figure it out later. She gasped. "Bella! You can't! You'll get in so much trouble!" I looked at her. "I can't what?" Her next sentence shocked me. "Have a party. Jasper will come back and people could be killed."

How did she know I was thinking of that? _Gifted. _I kept forgetting. I nodded. "Don't worry, no one will get hurt. I promise."

She sighed. "Okay, but if he finds out before he leaves, don't come crying to me." A knock. We both turned. Jonah was standing outside the door. He entered the room. "Party? I'm in. We need a good blast around here."

I smiled. Looks like we were friends after all.

* * *

><p>Questions, questions, question. Answers were nowhere to be found, however. Why was I wanted? Why was this army created? And why did I feel so strange around him? Safety and trust weren't exactly the first things that flew to mind when I thought of him, but I had seen nor found any evidence that he wanted to harm me. I decided to look for him.<p>

I found him sitting on the ground, his head tilted to the sky. His hair was wet, like he'd been dunked into a fish tank and swirled around until he was deemed "all done". The area around his collar was soaked, and the ends of his hair dripped onto the forest green t-shirt, darkening the material.

"Need something?" He asked. His eye didn't open. _Maybe he didn't know it was me._ I mentally smacked my forehead. Of course he would know. He was an immortal - our sense of smell wasn't exactly broken. "Actually, I have some questions."

"Shoot."

"Why are you creating an army? And why are the gifted needed?"

"That's classified information. Need to know basis." Now he was just starting to piss me off. "You know, you're a real pain in the ass."

"So I've heard."

"Why don't you believe in love?"

This got to him. He opened his eyes and looked up at me. "Why do you care," he responded. I shrugged. "Everyone believes in something. Even assholes like you." He smiled. I was stuck in shock. He had actually...smiled?

And then it was gone, replaced by the same apathetic look I saw every other day. He got up and walked away. I suddenly remembered where he was going. "Have fun in Denver! Try not to eat anyone!"

He gave me a death glare. I shrugged and gave him a grin. I had gotten a glimpse at the man inside. Maybe Major Asswipe wasn't so bad after all.

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone!" he yelled back. _Spoke too soon._

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><p><em>Well, guess you guys already know what's going down next chapter. Sorry this takes so long - school is hectic nowadays. But soon...WINTER BREAK! Perfect time to get my Fanfic on. Anyways, thanks for reading and lemme know what you think! I love to hear from you guys. :)<em>

_Reviews are like Bella having a fuckawesome party while Jasper is gone; y'all know you want it!_

**Reviewers of the Last Chapter: **Galveston's Daughter, wendy1969, RangerRainbow, genuinef250, Madys Nicole, TrueSkye, momoXvolturi, jkkhreedy, 1dreamkeeper, Pebblish, kay525, I'mABitchI'mALiar, Rand0mnessR0ks, twilightfan888, TwilightAddict71484, KittyAsrai, Moni18 xXx, erythra-selena, Dewfs, M1DNITELOVER


	17. Author's Note: Sucky Timing

**Er, well, this is...embarrassing...**

So, wrong thing posted folks. What you read was ACTUALLY another story I'm preparing to work on after this, called **Struggling Against the Darkness**, which I posted the prologue to on here. I'm glad some of you thought it was good. :) But, yeah, sorry about the mix-up. Here is what should have been posted:

**Howdy y'all. I got some sad news.**

So, I've been grounded. For a while now. Actually, I'm not even supposed to be writing this. Major trouble here, folks. But, in my mind, it was worth it. And really, that's all that really matters.

But sadly, I won't be updating for a while - not sure how long I'll be gone. Depends on when I get my phone and laptop back. Sad shit too, cause I was all set up for winter break.

Anyways, sorry guys. :( I'll take the time to write or update whenever I'm by a internet-functioning computer. Love you all. Bye.

**Anyways, hope you all enjoyed your Christmas. Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D**


	18. Chapter 16: A Past Forgotten

_Soooooo, yeahhhhh...good news: I'm ungrounded again. Got my computer back and everything. So, now I write this chapter to you all, my dedicated, patient reviewers and readers that didn't curse me with a bolt of thunder or anything like that when I said I was grounded. So, think of this long chapter filled with shocks, surprises, and new information as a sort of thank you for not getting angry with me. How's 5000 words sound?_

_And now, on with the show! We have some catching up to do..._

**Warning: **Vulgar language, BDSM references, some sexism, [eventual] lemons, dark/mature topics, and much much more that makes this rated M.

_**Much love to my girls Melby and Erika, who encourage me so much it sparks my writing juices.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Previously...<strong>

_"Why don't you believe in love?"_

_This got to him. He opened his eyes and looked up at me. "Why do you care," he responded. I shrugged. "Everyone believes in something. Even assholes like you." He smiled. I was stuck in shock. He had actually...smiled?_

_And then it was gone, replaced by the same apathetic look I saw every other day. He got up and walked away. I suddenly remembered where he was going. "Have fun in Denver! Try not to eat anyone!"_

_He gave me a death glare. I shrugged and gave him a grin. I had gotten a glimpse at the man inside. Maybe Major Asswipe wasn't so bad after all._

_"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone!" he yelled back. Spoke too soon._

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 16 - A Past Forgotten

Chatter was everywhere. Whispers and giggles every which way filled my ears. Zak spread the word, telling people, who told other people, who continued to bring in friends from the farthest corners of the globe.

"There'll be refreshments," she offered to those that were slightly uneasy. Jasper's reputation preceded him; it was no secret he would disagree with the plan of a party. Shock would evolve to anger. He would be extremely upset. Homicidal, even. I didn't know whether to laugh at their fright or shake my head in disappointment. Their fear was nothing more than strong amazement at his aptitude for fighting. Without his skill, he was just like the rest of us. Another vampire, forever immortal and stuck on a dying planet filled with egotistical meals.

Some jumpily agreed to attend. Others stared like I was simply insane. I would shrug at the glances I got in passing. Some feared for my safety, some admired me in full. Nikki taunted me with claims of his murderous nature coming out and forcing itself upon me, taking over his body and tearing me to shreds. I snorted at her words. He wasn't killing me. I would be gone before he even came back. I had business to attend to, something I had forgotten with my arrival to this place, but had recently remembered in sight of...rather _r__ecent _events.

The sight of a horse being branded. Braiding Alyssa's long red hair. Speaking with Lyra, even, had forced a particularly bad memory into my head. I knew what others had named me, but I was no victim. His crimes against me, against the childhood I had been unable to have, stood out against the varying shades of color in my mind. No one deserved the things I had gone through.

A feeling, warm and sour in my mouth, began to flow through my lifeless body and spread into my system. The feeling came with a name. _Self-pity? _I shook my head and cleared my thoughts. What happened had happened. Self-pity would not change things any more than it made me feel better. He had done what he'd done, and that was that.

But he would pay for everything. Even if it killed him.

Something small and brunette bumped into me. I stumbled slightly, so lost in my thoughts I hadn't noticed an extra person walking towards me. "Excuse me," I muttered. I was about to continue walking, when I felt a hand grab my arm. "Wait." I looked down at the appendage that I was about to slowly detach from that person. Alice rolled her eyes and removed her hand. "Can we talk?"

I nodded, mute after all the thoughts that swirled through my head. She took my hand and led me to a clearing, a field full of dead, yellow grass, and trees with emerald green leaves. She flopped down onto the ground, and patted the spot next to her. I crossed my arms stubbornly, waiting. She sighed.

"Look, Bella. I know you were there that night." _So what? Is walking through woods a federal crime now? _"Your point? I was taking a walk. Are you gonna turn me over to the vampire police?" I taunted. She shook her head.

"I'm not here to goad you. So either shut up and listen, or tell me to leave."

That was my opportunity. If I told Alice to leave, she would. She wouldn't fight, or protest. Yet a small part of me wondered why she _had _asked for me, if not to goad, gloat, or taunt me as I had her. "I'm listening," I muttered.

"Thank you."

I shrugged. Alice looked me in the eye. "I know you went through a lot when you were human, Bella. I know how it was claimed that you died, and I know all about Phillip Greggory Dwyer."

I shivered, an unexpected reaction to hearing his name. I had never even said it out-loud to myself, much less to anyone else. Anger was already threatening to burst from the memories that came with his name.

My thoughts drifted to my own mother. I had always known Renee and I didn't belong together. She was unfit to care for even herself, much less a child. I remembered being hungry often, Renee's frustrated huffs of anger when I complained that I hadn't had dinner, her shouts of rage when I interrupted her and her "boyfriends" in her bedroom; and finally learning how to cook from a friend and her mother. Her name was Hadley. Her mother, Janessa, cared for me as if I was her own. She called Social Services from time to time in her worry, even offering to care for me herself. But they would always call Renee ahead of time, to talk, and schedule a date to show up.

By then, the house would be cleaned and whichever man was introduced to the social worker was my new step-father, until she got bored of him, or him with her, and he left. She blamed me, for some reason, for her failings with men. Until she'd met him. Until the one man who stuck around was more interested in her daughter than he was her.

"I knew a boy, who went through a some-what...similar situation as you had." I could hear her wording her phrases carefully. My fists clenched tightly at my sides. I didn't like being reminded of my human life. It was too strong a reminder, and too volatile of a time.

"His father used to beat him and his mother everyday. He was a drunk, womanizing bastard, with the muscle to back it up. Back in the 1800's, this wasn't a big deal. People kept to themselves and let parents raise their kids the way they believed was right. But this boy...he really did a number on him. He was an only child, and his mother's pride and joy. She tried to spare him, shield him from his father's hate and anger, but it didn't always work. He grew up learning how to be cold, and detached. He learned how to survive, yes, but it came with a price."

My mind turned this over in my head. Someone else? Jonah? It had to be. It explained his reaction to the question about his family. "Who was he?" I heard myself asking, dimly aware of the answer.

But I was wrong. "Jasper."

A slow numbness spread through my head like wildfire. The pain in his eyes. The way he held himself when he spoke, a stance that feigned confidence. He was no better off than I was. Immortality came with a rather disturbing price; everything you'd done, everything you did, would be burned into your brain forever. As a vampire, the memories were even sharper. Human memories were fuzzy, but not completely forgotten.

"Did he ever kill him?" I heard myself answer, slightly surprised to hear the question pop from my mouth. She nodded. "He did. After he was turned, he went home and tortured him. It wasn't until the neighbors began to call police that he left him, bleeding to death."

"How do you know all of this?"

"The same way you now know. He told me."

"He could have been lying." I knew it was a stupid thing to say, for no one would lie about the circumstances of your tormentors death. I knew I sounded bitchy. But if Alice thought so, she didn't say.

"I doubt it. You don't usually lie about killing someone who makes your life a living hell." I nodded to her words. A strange truth, odd, yet comforting to know, in my mind. Remembering was painful, but the fact that you couldn't lie about such memories made things somewhat better.

I stood abruptly. There were more things to get for our little "party"; I had several bottles of drugged blood, fresh, human blood, along with some animal blood for people like Jonah. I didn't really know how to drug that, but I'm sure Emmett did. I would have to ask him later, when him and her Highness Lady Princess of Royalty weren't cuddled next to each other.

There was still the matter of music, lights, and how I was going to keep this all from Edward. Which was most likely impossible. He'd probably already heard about it, judging from how many people were gathered around the house.

"So can I crash the festivities, or is it invitation only?"

I looked down at her. She was still on the ground, writing something in the dirt. "I didn't think you'd want to." She sighed lightly. "Of course I would. I haven't been to a good party since the summer of '98. This could be crowned as the party of the century."

I shrugged. I guess she was coming. "Yeah, you can come. Just show up. No invitation flashing required." She smiled and stood, looking causally at what she'd written. I expected her to sweep a foot over it, messing up the writing and erasing her words. She didn't.

She glanced at me once more, then back at the writing, before she nodded at me. "I'll be there. Later." She blurred away. I crouched down and looked at her handwritten message, in lovely cursive script.

_He has moved since the last time you were with him. 517 Baker Street, in West Hill, Oklahoma. And if you're gonna be planning to leave and not come back, you might wanna be careful who you tell that to. There's rumors of a spy around here; someone is watching you, but I don't know who. _

_And if you do go to find him, be careful. You two are a lot more similar now._

I looked around. A spy? _Someone is watching you._ I wiped a foot over Alice's message, knowing it was for my eyes only. No one else needed to know I was leaving, never to return. For some reason, I was the only one who was leaving. Everyone else remained on the land, even with him gone, and Lyra nowhere to be found. Alyssa was with her grandmother, who could pass at any minute in my eyes. Even then, the girl was powerful, and she was only human. Imagine her potential as an immortal.

I sucked in a short, unnecessary breath, and hurried away to finish my errands.

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><p>When I returned, I found myself wandering in the woods. Bright sunlight shined down through the green tree leaves. A light breeze gently rustled the parched, yellow grass. I was lost, wondering and curious; what had that message meant? <em>You two are a lot more similar now. <em>Were we both dead now? _No, she would have said if he had passed._ Perhaps we were both hardened by life's cruelties? _Good; it would serve him right._

I kicked at a branch on the ground. It flounced forward, hitting a nearby tree with an ear-splitting crack. I brushed my hands and jumped, climbing easily to the top of a tall pine. When I reached as far as I planned on going for the day, I sat down on a sturdy limb and gazed over the land. I could see several acres of beauty before me. Golden rays touched everything with a hand of light, making the shadows recede.

I thought of a puppet show I had once seen when I was a kid. Puppets had always creeped me out. A person, albeit fake, being controlled like that with pieces of string was weird; Renee had dragged me to it, because the show was with an old circus that Phil had loved growing up as a kid, and he demanded I come along. Her, being the wonderful mother that she was, told me to get dressed and not to cause any trouble.

Phil made my life different; he was the reason several things happened while I was human. He was the reason I had faced my life alone for three years. He was the reason I had cowered under my bed when I was a fucking fourteen year old girl. But Renee, she was different in every way. She committed the dirtiest, lowest, vilest act I had never imagined; humanity was going to the dogs, if people like her were considered good.

I vaguely felt the urge to cry, but I ignored it. A good cry didn't help me then, and it certainly wasn't going to be helpful now. "Human Bella would have cried," I thought out-loud. My inner-Bella growled at me angrily. _Bitch, dry your eyes and get the fuck back up. Crying is like whining about how crappy your life is while doing nothing to change it. _I pushed my mopey thoughts away. Bitchy Bella was right. Thinking about my human life and simpering about it was a waste of time. My energy would be better spent thinking about my expectations for this party; I wanted a night of fun. A night when I could meet people without knowing who they were.

By the time I had arrived at the ranch, I was giddy with excitement; Alyssa seemed to know before me, because she was demanding I tell everyone now.

"A costume party," I announced to those that gathered around the house; I stood on the roof, explaining. You could wear any costumes, no matter how scary or slutty - which I said while looking at Nikki - as long as you wore a mask with it. No one contested it, and I heard happy plans of what they would wear and who they planned to show up with.

I walked over to Alyssa. "I think you should stay home for this one." She pouted.

"But nothing could happen!"

"A costume party would be the perfect time for anyone who wanted to. They would be able to drain you and not face Jasper's wrath."

"You would recognize the scent."

"Not fast enough to catch them."

"I can protect myself."

"I believe you."

"Then let me go!"

I looked at her with a fierce glare. She stared back with just as much spit and fire as I did. I sighed. "Nonetheless, you shouldn't go. Not unless you can guarantee me that no one you don't recognize would get near you."

She stared at me, and I noticed the usual green irises I saw were gone; in their place were fierce blue ones. A red haze surrounded her. Every immortal nearby froze, as if she was holding a giant remote, and had pressed the pause button. She smiled and walked towards a man with bright blond hair, gesturing for me to follow.

"Hello, sir. What is your name?" She said with a creepy smile. If it was in an everyday situation, I would have called it cute. "Thomas," he said with an air of confusion.

"Hello, Thomas. Do you know who I am?" He shook his head at her question. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "My name is Alyssa."

"Good afternoon, Miss Alyssa." She nodded happily. "Do you know what I am?"

"Human, miss."

"That's right. Do you want to drink from me?"

"I do."

"Do you want to drain me?"

"If possible, I would."

"What is keeping you from doing so, Thomas?"

He shivered, but answered her question; his eyes were scarily blank. "Major Jasper, Miss Alyssa."

"How is that, Thomas?"

"If I killed you, he would do things a thousand times worst to me. Killing you is a certified death sentence."

"Has Major Jasper ever threatened to kill you before?"

He nodded. "Twice now. Once for drinking from a man who was hunting on his land. Another time for talking about Miss Isabella."

About me? What had he been saying? A better question; why would this deserve a threat?

"Thank you. You may go about your business."

He nodded and walked away, moving at a human pace. The red glow faded. I saw a cluster of vampires blink and look around in confusion; they then moved away, resuming whatever they were doing beforehand. "What the fuck was that," I stated. She shrugged. "I have lots of abilities. That's one of two that I can control. The others come out at random intervals. I don't know how to keep them from doing it."

And with that said, I realized, with a start, that Alyssa was the most dangerous creature out of all of us.

* * *

><p>I was sitting in another tree. I couldn't help but think I would have been better off with Tarzan than Jane was. I actually liked climbing tress, and living in the jungle wasn't really that bad. Granted, I would get tired of the animal thing; and eventually, I would have to kill him and drink the blood from his wounds. Maybe he was better with Jane after all.<p>

I sighed and climbed down, plopping into the soft earth. A light breeze blew strands of hair into my face. I inhaled deeply. Nothing like fresh air when you were thinking; helped the brain juices along.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I heard. I looked up. Jonah was standing behind me, blocking the sun, casting a person-shaped shadow in my space. I shook my head. I wasn't in the mood for show-and-tell. He sat down next to me and pulled up some grass, letting the wind blow it out of his hand. "I understand," he said, and then lapsed into silence.

I was curious when it came to Jonah. How old was he? When was he turned? I wanted to question him; ask why he looked so sullen when he mentioned his mate, or why he tensed when mentioning his family. "How about a deal," I started. "I'll ask a question, then you ask a question, and vice versa." He nodded.

"Favorite color?" I started. He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "Green."

"Blue. Your turn."

Jonah cut the bullshit. "What happened to you when you were human?" I was speechless as I stared at him, the cogs in my brain stuck in a frenzied attempt to understand. Who had told him of my human life? "How do you know about that," I demanded. He shrugged. "I'm good at detecting other people who had shitty human lives. I don't know. Weird side-effect to my gift or something. Guess I'm just pretty observant." I shook my head and gazed out towards the setting sun. "What do you think happened," I quipped.

He spoke quietly. "I think you were abused. Probably by a parent, I'm guessing a male. Your mom didn't help you, and she knew what was going on; you think she was weak and narrow-minded." Wow. Dead on. That was a little scary. "Am I right?" he asked, turning to look at me. I was so used to seeing pity filled eyes, that his shocked me. Admiration replaced the sympathy I usually got when I told this story.

"You were strong. You survived. You won." He was right. I had won. Phil hadn't broken me; he had created a lasting impact on me, but I was not broken. I had won. He spoke again. "You never did answer my question." I shrugged. "Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."

He nodded, and turned back to face the fading glow of the sunset. "My father was a mean, drunken bastard named Micah; my mom was a women named Crystal. They married when he got her pregnant. My sister Annabelle was born on May 17. I was born three years later, on March 15." He paused for a moment. "He hated my guts."

I interrupted. "Why?" He sighed, shaking his head. "I was competition, in his mind. Until I was old enough, strong enough, he was man of the house. Back then, abuse could be a common as clouds in the sky. People minded their own business, didn't get into other peoples affairs. Ever since I was old enough to know what he was doing, I tried to protect Annabelle from him. I would distract him from her, when she got in trouble. Steal his bottle if she knocked something over, stuff like that. But as we got older, he kept his attention on her. My mom wasn't around often, and she only seemed to make him angry. I remember the differences between how he looked at my sister from my mother. Mother got more of his anger than Annabelle, but Annabelle got more of his lust."

I looked down. She sounded like me. But I hadn't had a brother. There was no one to defect his anger from me. "He killed my mom when I was sixteen. The doctor said it was suicide; she drank her self to death, he claimed. But I knew the truth. He forced that bottle on her; without a mother, Annabelle was on her own in the household chores. I was expected to do outdoor stuff, which in the end saved my life. I got strong from lifting firewood and swinging an axe all day. But Micah was inside all day, and she was alone with him. And then one day..." he trailed off, staring at the last rays of sunshine.

"I came in one day to find him raping her." His voice was quiet, but it was raw, and filled with pain. "He was holding a gun to her head, and pushing himself into her. I went to help her, but he shot her before I could. And then continued to rape her." Forget all my pain about the shit I went through. I was wrong. I hadn't lost anyone; being an only child with an unloving mother gave me nothing to lose. But Jonah lost his mother _and _sister. I couldn't imagine the crap he'd gone through.

"I'm sorry," I heard myself say. I was ashamed to even think about my human life a this point. I had bitched and complained how crappy it was, when someone had gone through much worst and lived to tell the tale_._ He nodded; I didn't mention that I wasn't sorry for him, that I didn't exude pity from my pores. But he simply stayed quiet. A hush fell over us. He looped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me down, into his chest. I wrapped my arms around his stomach. It was a big non-blood brother/sister bonding moment.

The bonding ended when I opened my big mouth. "What about your mate?" He tensed. "Melanie. Her name was Melanie." It was the same response he had given me the first time I has asked, except this time he avoided her as the subject.

He stood. "I'll see you around," he muttered. I watched carefully as he blurred away. Boys were confusing. _Amen to that, sister. _I stayed out there, smirking in amusement at the nighttime sky. The stars were winking at me, this time I was sure of it; even the moon seemed to grin a little. I was wrapped in a cloak of darkness, and it was actually pretty relaxing.

Blood. Pumping, coming closer and closer towards me. I sniffed the air. A scent of yarn and dust wafted towards me. Alyssa's grandmother. She came and sat next to me, not looking over, just staring at the sky, like I had been. "You seem to have taken a little interest in my granddaughter, Miss Bella." Blunt, and effective. It reminded me of someone. Her words caused me to look over. She was calm; this in itself made her strange. Shouldn't most humans be afraid to be alone, at night, with a thirsty vampire?

I didn't deny her statement. "I have. She is a lovely girl," I admitted. She nodded. "That she is. Keep an eye on her, will you? I'm not as young as I used to be, and my darling Alyssa is attracting all sorts of attention nowadays. Particularly the supernatural kind." She gave me a pointed look. I nodded. I understood. "She told you about today."

"She did. I'm more surprised you weren't affected, however. It's quite rare that there is any not affected by her words when she uses her gift. You're very special, Miss Bella. I can feel it in these old bones. They haven't been wrong in 70 years, and they aren't starting now." She stood and brushed some dirt off her skirt. "Try to come in soon, dear. I'm sure my granddaughter would like to talk to you about the party you're throwing."

I glanced up. She was as loyal to Jasper as it got. Surely she would mention it to him, wouldn't she? She gave me a wink, and pretended to lock her lips. "He won't hear it from me, that I can promise. Well, goodnight Miss Bella." She started to walk away, when I realized who she reminded me of. "Wait!" I called out.

I saw her pause, and turn around slightly. "Yes?" she asked. "What's your name?" I replied tersely. I saw her smile. "To most I am known as Ms. Hartley. But to those I trust, I go by Gran." So I was right. Exactly like Grandma Swan.

"You can just call me Bella. You don't have to add the 'miss' part." Through the dark, I saw her nod. "Bella, then. Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight...Gran."

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><p><em>So, someone new on Bella's side. Someone who is wise and can help her, perhaps? Who knows. I make this stuff up as I go along. No southern major yet - he's still away on business, which you guys will see in a switch to Jasper POV when I get there. Alyssa's powers are weird, huh? I thought so. I can't wait 'til you guys see Bella's gift.<em>

_And since I've recently been inspired, a poem-slash-teaser on the next chapter:_

_Jonah and Bella, being good friends  
><em>_Masqurades and parties, the fun never ends  
><em>_Enough blood and magic and supernatural to last  
>And Miss Isabella meets a certain someone from her past<em>

_How did I do? Meh. I've never been good with poetry. _

_Reviews are like knowing what Alice meant when she said, and I quote: "You two are a lot more similar now." Any guesses? Let me know what you think! Love you all! XoX_

**Reviewers of Chapter 15 [and the saddening AN]: **Galveston's Daughter, KittyAsrai, genuinef250, cullenwhitlockhottie01, Madys Nicole, momXvolturi, Sarah-Leigh-Black, Rand0mnessR0ks, roon0, twilightfan888, dramaqueen1917, I'mABitchI'mALiar, 1dreamkeeper, ladybugff, Pebblish, TwilghtAddict71484, fieryphoenix20, jkkhreedy, TheBlackOne23, Ordinary-girl-XD, IheartJW, xBurn, Deborah Stone- KarmabelanceDeb, JennLD, LadyCinnia, , TrueSkye, kouga's older woman, tee hill, Fleur24, ggroks1800, Miss Spankalicious, scareDcat, jagnic233, courtney, Twisted-Twilighter, Daddys crazy little bitch, 5starbarbie, CRAZYCHICK345, SorrowfulJoy, SarahhIonaa, justxwords


	19. Chapter 17: Found

_Hey people! Jeez, did I fall off the face of the earth or what? Sorry I've been gone for so long. Dealing with volunteer hours, looking for a job, school, grades, they're all very bad things to combine. Anyways, excuses aside, thank you all for sticking with me and not trying to hunt me down or anything. _

_To all of you who guessed what Alice meant, you were dead on. Subtle isn't exactly my middle name, heh. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I seriously love you all. Your names, anonymous or not, shall be listed in the ending AN._

**Warning: **Vulgar language, BDSM references, some sexism, [eventual] lemons, dark/mature topics, and much much more that makes this rated M.

**_Thank you, gracias, and all that jazz to my lovely beta Carter. Maybe ideas CAN be converted to money..._**

* * *

><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 17 - Found

**Bella**

A dark blue dress that fell to my knees was placed on my body. My mask, midnight blue one with the nose imprint in it, fit perfectly onto my face. A pair of matching blue heels was set onto my feet, courtesy of Alice Cullen; obviously, she thought I looked good in blue. I hadn't planned on wearing anything fancy in the first place. But of course, she had talked me into it.

"If you don't, everyone will know who you are, Bella," she pleaded. "You'll ruin the mysteriousness of the dance." And so, with that said, the evil pixie directed me to a pile of clothes she'd found for me and another equally terrifying pile of shoes, and insisted that I find something to wear. Not a single t-shirt, pair of jeans, or tennis shoe in the piles. Snarling vampires, I could handle. Clothes. That was a completely different story.

I remembered when Alice first picked up the blue dress I was currently wearing. I had snarled, and she had pouted, and we had argued, until finally she gave me those fucking puppy-dog eyes, and I was powerless to stop the slipping of the soft fabric over my head.

I heard a knock at the door. "It's me!" Alice bellowed, even though I would have heard her if she'd whispered. I swear, sometimes the girl didn't understand the benefit of supernatural hearing. "Come on in," I said. She opened the door and shut it behind her quickly, eager to keep my appearance a mystery. I rolled my eyes. She was bitten while hyper. There was no other explanation for her chirpiness.

She whistled softly as I stuck a pair of dangling gold earrings into my lobes. "Wow, Bella. You clean up nice." I turned around to examine her. Her normally spiky hair laid flat, not as short as I had anticipated. She had on a short red dress that matched a pair of heels she wore. Dangling from her ears was a pair of silver earrings. All in all, she looked nice. I couldn't help but hope she impressed whoever she was dressing for. "You look nice too," I replied. She smiled brightly, then took a look at my hair before scolding me. "You can't go there with your hair all over the place like that. Is that grass I see?"

I rolled my eyes. I could have easily refused her help. But perhaps there was a part of me, however small it may have been, that wanted to dress up and look nice and attend my own private party. At least, for one night. She was fussing over the amount of grass she had pulled out with my comb when there was another knock at the door. We looked at each other. I hadn't expected anyone else except Alyssa, but she was with her grandmother.

"It's me," a voice said softly. I recognized it instantly. It was normally cold and rude and somewhat disapproving when directed at me. Rosalie Cullen, nee Hale. "Come in," I said, too stunned to say it loudly. The door opened, and in it stood Rosalie. She had on a black dress, one that reached her knees, like my own. Gold hoop earrings adorned her ears; her blond hair was looped half in a ponytail, the bottom of it cascading down her back. She was a vision. Literally.

"Bella, I, um, wanted to..." she trailed off as she looked up at me, her matching purse dangling uselessly from her arm. "Alice, give us some privacy for a minute," I said, my eyes never leaving hers. I heard Alice speak. "Sure. Yell if you need me." She walked out, shutting the door behind her. Rosalie walked over and picked up the comb, continuing what Alice had started as she started to pull the tangles from my hair.

"You wanted to talk?" I pressed, my words coming out more as a question than the statement I had intended. She nodded as she set down the comb and started to brush. "I wanted to apologize. For my behavior towards you. I was being jealous and egotistical. I am truly sorry."

Wait. Go back. "Jealous? What were you jealous about?" She looked down at my hair, focusing on the ends before looking down. If she'd been human, she would have blushed. "I over-react. Often. So when I noticed everyone warming up to you, bragging about you and whatnot, I lost all rationality. I talked down to you, I was rude and unwelcoming, and I hope you forgive me, Bella. I understand if you don't, but I want you to know I am sorry for my behavior."

I knew from lots of personal experience that it took some boundless courage to apologize to others. I also knew I kinda hated mushy relationships with people, and tried to avoid them as much as possible. "I forgive you. So, are we gonna be as bitchy as normal to each other, or is my sexy ass gonna have to slap you back to the good ole' days?" I teased.

She snorted. "Bitch. You know you only talk to me in an attempt to get in my pants." I nodded seriously, giving her the obvious once over and licking my lips. We started to laugh, and I heard her murmur, "Maybe you will be good for him after all." I stopped. Good for who, exactly? I was leaving after this little get-together that was going on outside. I wasn't going to be much good to anyone if I was gone. I pretended I hadn't heard her. "C'mon," I linked an arm through hers. "Let's go get our party on."

She slipped on her mask, something that covered her eyes and matched her black dress, and we slipped out from my room and into the growing crowd. Alice was waiting impatiently with Edward, huffing and tapping her foot as she gave him clipped, short answers to his clipped, polite questions. The two of them were a walking bomb; anyday now, the tension would explode and there would be clothes everywhere, with me walking in on them. A naked Edward was the _last _thing I wanted to see. I sighed and shook my head. _She better not shack up with him at this party. Or I will rip her a new vagina. _That would definitely be interesting. How do you rip someone a natural part of their body?

I pushed any normal thoughts away. Tonight was about having fun and being my already awesome self. I saw several males look me and Rosalie's way as we walked together, smirking and blowing kisses at them as we stomped over, impatiently ending her and Edward's one-sided conversation. I had almost thought he was being strange again, because really, it looked like he was talking to himself. Rose chuckled, and Alice growled. I smirked. "Hey there Eddie," I greeted him, dragging the two classy bitches forward with me. Alice groaned. Rose kept quiet, giving me an amused eyebrow raise. I grinned at her.

"I was just telling Alice here about how fuck-awesome this party is. Where's your mask?" I asked for clarification. He pulled from behind him an eye-mask, with feathers and shit attached and gold curls all around it. I snickered. Someone had outdone himself in the costume department. Alice smirked. Rosalie gave an uninterested look, like she had somewhere better to be. I knew it was just a little act.

I reached into Rosalie's purse and pulled out her cell phone. I typed out my message quickly, extending my mind-infiltration-blocking shield around her as well as me. Edward was not allowed to hear this particular conversation. _How would you like to play matchmaker for the night? _She grinned. Her hands took the phone from me and replaced the message with her own. _Maybe. Who are we setting up? I'll do one couple with you before I go off to find Emmett._ I nodded. Seemed fair. My fingers quickly passed over the buttons after the phone was back in my possession. _Alice and Edward. They would be an interesting couple. The mind reader and the psychic._

She smirked at me. "I rather think that would be you and a certain blond, Bella." She took the phone back. _Besides, it'd be more like the two golden children getting together. _I gave her a smirk of my own. The two of them _did _give off that impression. Edward refused to anything remotely wrong, and Alice was hyper, perky, and a goody two-shoes as far as I was concerned.

An idea popped into my head. Unfortunately, it enforced Alice's vision even more. Her eyes went blank for a moment before she came back. "Isabella Swan," she seethed. "Don't you dare do what I think you're going to do!" I grinned. Rosalie gave me a fearful look. I shrugged. I could handle an angry Alice for a day. And all I would need was one day to get myself back in her good books. "Edward," I said sweetly. "Why don't you and Alice man the refreshments table? Give Jonah a break and all."

Alice scowled at me. "Why can't you and Rose do it, Bella? After all, Jonah and you _are _close friends." She smirked at her assumed victory. "Well, Rose and Emmett are coming with me to go get some more deer blood. And Jonah keeps me from eating any unsuspecting humans. So I guess you two are the only ones who can really stay here and keep things under control. Oh, and Eddie, try to keep Alice talking. If you don't, she'll become mute and we'll never hear her beautiful voice again."

Edward gave me a look of suspicion. Alice opened her mouth to protest. I smiled and turned to leave. "We're off now! Have fun you two!" I said, dragging Rosalie away with me. Alice growled low under her breath. I distinctly heard the words, "...run her over with a car."

Rose gave me an approving look. I shrugged. I was good at manipulation. A strong, muscular brunette stood in front of us. He stared at Rosalie with lustful eyes. I rolled my own. I could tell Emmett from any man here. He wasn't very masked or mysterious. He was obviously the strongest of the vampires around here. His muscular appearance wasn't at all concealing; and if Rosalie could easily spot him, then it would be no problem for me.

I had a nagging, edgy feeling. Like something was wrong. Like a betrayal was at hand. I pushed the thoughts from my mind and erased the worrisome feelings. Tonight was for fun and happiness. Hundreds among thousands of fellow immortals wore masks and dress clothes - most of the men were dressed in rather handsome tuxes, while the ladies had done their make-up and hair and found the most provocative dress in their closets.

My own dark blue gown clung to my shapely curves. I saw several eyes follow me across the yard as I smiled at everyone. Whether I was identified as Isabella or not was yet to be seen. Rosalie and Emmett made their way to the dance floor, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I crossed the land to the house of my newly adopted grandmother, and knocked loudly on the door, careful not to knock too hard.

The door opened. Gran stared blankly before smiling widely at me. She appraised me thoroughly, grinning as she gestured for me to come in. "Beautiful gown," she remarked. I nodded. "Thanks," I replied. Alyssa came bounding from the upstairs. She had on a pair of clingy jeans and a dark green t-shirt; her red hair was curled and reached the middle of her upper back. I nodded approvingly. God help us all if she wore anything too revealing - she would be a beautiful young women, when she reached that stage, of course.

She walked down the stairs, giving me a small smirk. I returned my own. Tonight would be fun, and doubly so if we could get away with it never reaching the famous Jasper's perfectly trained ears.

And yet, I had the small, miniscule feeling, that somehow, someway, he already knew.

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><p>Music vibrated through the air, giving saucy beats that people could dance to. Alyssa mingled with Abby, and another man with several scars. His appearance had made me wary, until I saw it was he who had brought with him an adorable little girl with baby blue eyes and curly dark brown hair. She was a curious little thing, and also very forward. Not 5 seconds after meeting me, she introduced herself and than asked if I was a vampire. I had chuckled before answering positively. She eyed me carefully before responding, "My Dadda is a vampire too."<p>

She was eventually swept up by the man himself, who chastised her about walking up to strangers. He introduced himself to me as Joseph Kylez. I found it interesting that his daughter was completely human, but didn't pry. If he had wanted to tell the story, he would have.

A new song played through the loud speakers. One I recognized. The thumping beat made me want to dance. I shook my head and moved a little to the rhythm as the words played out into the night air.

_I feel like a zombie coming back to life,  
>back, back, to life,<br>hands up,  
>when the music stops we all put our hands up,<br>put your hands on my body_

I rolled my eyes as I saw Rosalie and Emmett grind their way onto the dance floor. Several people were dancing with no shame, grinding, groping, and all the stuff that usually led to a good romp in the bushes. I stayed on the sidelines, preferring to keep myself off the dance floor this time. Jonah stood next to me. I smirked at him. "Enjoying yourself?" I teased. Not even minutes ago, I had found him in a shed, groping and rubbing against a pretty little brunette who was moaning like a newly awakened zombie. If I hadn't wanted to ruin his fun, I might have pointed out that she was obviously a blond in disguise.

He rolled his eyes. "You, miss-miss, need some action. A good fuck from a certain blond southerner should pick you right up." I grimaced. The last thing I wanted was that asshole's dick between my legs. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather fuck Nikki. God know what kinda diseases that skank has got." He laughed. I smiled. This is how we were. Simple, to the point. It was a rather uncomplicated relationship.

Unlike the one I had with Jasper Whitlock. The man had me all over the place. I was angry, yet flustered; mad, yet lustful. It was enough to make me want to scream. He made me feel things I hadn't thought were possible. Things that I wasn't used to feeling; when I was human, I had tried to cut myself off from emotions. Shame and pity were the only things I allowed myself to feel; the only things _he _allowed me to feel. And in the end, it only opened up a floodgate of feelings I couldn't begin to fathom.

"You're thinking about it too hard. It happened. You've accepted that. But that part of your life is over," Jonah spoke. He looked me square in the eye and took my hands into his own. "You survived. You won. _You_, Bella. Not him. Let the bastard and his memory stay in hell, where they both belong." I nodded. I could only feel gratitude towards him for reminding me of that simple, yet powerful, truth. I _had _won. And it had gotten me far, that will to survive.

Jonah's eyes widened as he looked past me. "Oh. My. Fucking. God." I turned myself and felt my mouth drop.

A beautiful specimen of a man, with black hair and gorgeous, fire truck red eyes had shown up. He had on a black and white tuxedo, like several other men here. His mask, a simple green piece with eye holes, stood out against the trademark pale white skin we all shared. He smelled like vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries. I could see the outlines of his muscles from behind the tux.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zak slide up next to me. Her mouth was open, and if I didn't know better, I would say she was about to catch some flies. "Good god, he looks yummy. You think he likes blondes?" She started to fluff her short hair, and I began checking my dress for any blood stains, when we both watched as Nikki sidled up to him. Her green dress looked more like a shirt, and the matching stiletto heels she wore made her look three inches taller; her red hair was pushed into a ponytail. I growled.

"Hello," she purred. "My name is Nikki. And you are?" He seemed unimpressed with her. His smile turned into a frown, and I couldn't help but think how wrong it was for a frown to be on that gorgeous face. "Michael." He was short with her. She was shocked for a second before I saw her determined expression. "Why don't we go back to my place and discuss some things?" Her hands encircled his arm. His frown grew more pronounced. "No thanks," he said dismissively.

She looked angry. He looked annoyed. I quickly walked over. "Obviously, Nikki, he doesn't want you. So why don't you crawl back to whatever whore house you fucked someone out of?" Her eyes narrowed. I smirked and cocked the bitch brow. With a huff, she spun on her heel and walked away in he crowd. He turned to look at me. "Hello," I said politely. "Bella Swan." He shook my outstretched hand, eyes never leaving my own.

"Michael. Michael Standon." _Mmhmm, and how I would love to "stand on" that dick of yours. _I choked a little at the comment made from my inner seductress. She was a crazy bitch.

"Pleasure to meet you." His eyes roamed up and down my body. He smirked. "So, where's your mate?" he asked casually. I grinned, feeling the wicked gleam enter my eyes. "Haven't found one yet." And I never planned on finding one. Mating was for suckers.

_And I would love for his dick to be mine. _I grimaced. This chick inside me had some **_major_**fucking issues. "So, Mr. Standon, what brings you here to our little gathering?"

"Michael, please. And a certain friend of mine told me about it. He said, and I quote, '"Go. Enjoy. If anything, I get laid more than you do."' And besides," he said with a smile. "I certainly wouldn't want to refuse myself the chance to enjoy one of these fine ladies. Especially any that look like you."

I could feel the heat in my cheeks. Thank god I couldn't blush. I would be as red as a brick by now. "Well, I hope you enjoy yourself." He nodded. "I'm sure I will," he responded. I gave him one more quick smile before walking back to the table I was currently sharing with Jonah and Zak. Jonah shook his head. "Did you really just turn down a guy that fine?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you gay?"

He shrugged. "I'm not. What, I can't appreciate the facial features of a good-looking man?"

I snorted and sat back down. "You, good sir, are a strange one," Zak giggled. I couldn't understand myself why I had turned him down. He was obviously as interested in me as I was in him. But, it just...didn't feel right. I was suddenly in the need for a very strong drink. I grabbed one off of the table next to us and downed it in one gulp. Zak's eyes widened.

I gave a satisfied sigh and looked at the millions of people on the estate. I could see Alyssa not too far off, dancing with Joseph. Abby was sitting on a chair nearby, clapping her hands with the music and drinking something out of a cup. It smelled like apple juice. Jonah nudged me gently. "Erm, uh, I have to go," I heard Zak mumble. Before I could reply, she was gone; I quirked an eyebrow at Jonah, who simply shrugged. Weird chick.

A new song came on, one that had everyone laughing. I giggled myself and sang with everyone else. "It means no worries! For the rest of your daaaayyyyys!" Jonah belted out. "It's our problem free! Philosophy! Hakuna Matata!"

When the song was over, Jonah grinned. "I have that movie, actually. I look at it about a million times a week. That and _Oliver and Company_." I snickered at him. "I'm sure you do. Although, I seriously doubt you can watch a movie a million times in one week."

Jonah made a sound in the back of his throat. "Watch me, bitch." I rolled my eyes. Such a drama-queen.

* * *

><p>The party continued, but I was done for the night. Or, I guess it was day. People still blasted music and danced and drank until their hearts content, but I had said a wishful goodnight, funnily enough, to Alyssa and Abby, who had both passed out at the table with Joseph watching them amusedly. I had taken Alyssa home, and Joseph and Abby had gone their own way.<p>

I changed out of the matching set of blue and pulled on some jeans and a tank top. Shoes hardly mattered; they just got in my way if they broke or something. I decided to go for a run. When I got outside, I was off. I wove my way through the trees, climbing, then jumping off, rolling in the dirt and grass and sticks on the ground. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of a pond, I looked a mess. Sticks in my hairs, mud on my clothes, grass stains on my shirt.

I heard Zak nearby. She was talking, whispering about something. I could just barely make out the words. "…es, I know what I have to do…" I wondered who she was talking to. "…come here? She'll see you and know who you are..." I was getting a bad feeling that this conversation was not about rainbows and unicorns. "…nothing to do with this…" She was hiding something, otherwise she wouldn't have been whispering. "…had a deal, them for her…" Who was "them"? Better question, who was "her"? "…have history with her, I know..." I was about to go borderline ninja on her, when a twig snapped off to the east.

"…ot to go. Meet at 572665." I heard the sound of a cell phone snapping shut. Zak left, and there was no scent left behind to go off of. I wouldn't be able to follow her. I watched as Alice and Edward walked into my line of sight, their hair unusually messy – well, _Alice's _hair was unusually messy – and their clothes dirt stained. Alice was re-adjusting her top, and Edward was buttoning his. "I look forward to doing this again tomorrow," Edward said with a smile." Alice grinned and curled into him, wrapping her tiny arms around him. "As do I, my love." He placed a kiss on her lips, then zoomed off. I crouched there, my mouth hanging and my eyes wide in shock. There was only one thing to do; I had to tell Rosalie.

Alice stiffened, before looking up and spying me. "ISABELLA SWAN!" she bellowed. I laughed and ran, through the trees once more, with Alice behind me, when I smelt it. It was an unusual scent. Like fish and sex. I hung a right, running into a clearing I had never noticed before.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned. My body stiffened. I had thought he was gone. He was supposed to be gone. All of my confidence shriveled up into me as I was once again that scared, innocent sixteen year old girl.

Alice came in behind me. "The hell, Bella! Why were you…" she turned to see what I was looking at and growled, moving in front of me. "What are _you _doing here," she snarled at him.

He laughed. "A man can't come to say hi to his only step-daughter? Hello Isabella. It's good to see you again."

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><p><em>As always, I would love to hear what you think :) Send me a review, peoples! Reviews are like getting back at Phil for all the shit he put Bella through in the past. And I'm sure there are plenty of you out there who wanted to pick up some knives and go stab a mother-fucker. <em>

_And, as another make up present, reviewers will get a free preview to the next chapter! And YES, I will try to remember to actually send you guys the preview this time. Heh. Sorry about that. __Hug and kisses to you all! XoX_

**Reviewers of Last Chapter: **I'mABitchI'mALiar, 1dreamkeeper, scareDcat, roon0, 01katie, Twisted-Twlighter, JXB Addicted, EN426, kouga's older woman, tawniemarie, alsin, xErikax, TwilightGurl24, wendy1969, LiesTemptHer, momoXvolturi, MCV, TheBlackOne23, TwilightAddict71484, Fleur24, justxwords, KittyAsrai, Tough23, IheartJW, Mrs. Jim, RangerRainbow, 5starbarbie, Auroura'sDawn, Regin


	20. Chapter 18: Wounds Unheal

_Hey guys! Guess what? We have officially passed the 400 mark in reviews. How cool is that! Thank to all my readers and reviewers for making one small idea into a big pseudo-reality for me. I never imagined I would reach this far when I posted that first chapter._

_Reviewers, anonymous or not, your names will be posted in the ending AN._

Vulgar language, BDSM references, some sexism, [eventual] lemons, dark/mature topics, and much much more that makes this rated M.

**_Thank you, gracias, and all that jazz to my lovely beta Carter. I PLEDGE to heart you, hehe. _**

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 18 - Wounds Unheal

**Bella**

I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. He had found me. He wasn't dead. He was a vampire. My mind had trouble comprehending these facts, despite his appearance in front of me. I felt like a helpless, human 16 year old girl again. Afraid. Wary. I was constantly kept on my toes around Phil when I'd been mortal. He liked to play games. He liked to torture my mind and body. He liked to inflict pain on me that I couldn't give back.

"What's wrong, Isabella? Aren't you happy to see me?" My dead heart was stuck in my throat. What did he want? How did he find me? And why was he here? "What do you want, Phil?" I heard Alice's snarl. I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. I could see her face, disgusted and angry. He looked her over, obviously liking what he saw. "Well hello there. I haven't met you before."

"And thank whatever god you worship for that bit of luck," Alice snipped. If I hadn't felt so woozy, I would have laughed. Alice could be down-right scary when she wanted to be. Having that anger directed at Phil made me feel slightly better.

"I'm here to see my darling Isabella." There was a tone of amusement in his voice, like seeing Alice Cullen standing in front of him was a funny joke. And then, it happened. Even if you didn't blink, you wouldn't have seen it. He reached a hand out, and suddenly Alice was on the ground, screaming. Her hands clutched her spiky black head, and she was curled up in a ball.

The bile rose to my throat as I stared at him in horror. "Yes, my darling, I am gifted. How unfortunate for you." He reached an arm out for me, and I braced myself for the pain. Nothing. I was shocked to find his gift didn't work on me. He looked at me, confusion evident on his face, before he straightened and lowered his arm. "I almost forgot about your little mind shield. Not to worry."

Alice was out cold. I had never heard of a vampire that could sleep, but she would win the prize as soon as they made an award. She was coming to, however, and I could see the slight alarm on Phil's face."Come, my darling." I stiffened at the nickname. I had always hated it when he called me that. I didn't move, my brain trying to make sense of the jumble of words and memories that lifted themselves to the surface around him. "I said come, Isabella." My feet moved of their own accord, and in an almost dream-like trance, I walked towards him. I felt his arm curl around my shoulders.

"That's a good girl," he cooed. I could only feel despair at his existence, and revulsion at his arm on my skin. He pushed me towards the woods, pressing into my shoulder whenever I faltered. "Remember who owns you, Isabella," he whispered in my ear, and I flashed back to another time. Another place; a world of fear and obedience.

_I replaced the dishes on the table, ladling hot beans and rice into a bowl at the head of the table. Phil's place. I loathed how he watched me as I ate, like a pig ready to be cooked. The door slammed. I jumped at the noise, my heart pounding from the knowledge of his arrival. "Good afternoon, my darling," he greeted me, tapping a finger on his cheek._

_I bit back a snarky reply and placed my lips softly against his flesh, ignoring the urge to shudder at my close proximity to him. I didn't like being near Phil any more than I had to. Which, sadly, was often, according to him. He loosened his tie and set down his briefcase, licking his lips as he sat down at the table. I stood on the side, like he expected, waiting for praise regarding my cooking. "You may greet me, Isabella." I inwardly cursed my luck. "Good afternoon, Phil. How was the hearing?"_

_He grinned at me, not yet tasting the dish. "Perfect. In a couple more months, I'll be your legal guardian." He frowned suddenly, and I hastily went through what could be wrong in my mind; I realized my lack of excitement to his news, and gave him a big fake smile. "How wonderful!" I exclaimed with false enthusiasm. He smiled again, and took a big bite of food._

_His eyes widened and he gave me a pat on the leg, high up on my thigh. "Excellent as always, my darling," he approved. I felt a wave of relief wash over me. He liked it. Thank god. I sat down, and Phil's eyes were on me, his gaze slightly lower on my body. I looked down. Part of my breast was showing, exposing my dark blue bra to him._

_I moved to replace my shirt, cursing myself for wearing his particular fabric, when he spoke. "Take it off." He licked his lips, watching me hungrily. I was shaking now, knowing full well what would happen if I removed this shirt._

_"I-I n-need to f-finish dinner f-first," I stuttered. His eyes darkened, and his brow furrowed. He frowned, and I froze, screaming at myself internally for being such a dumb-ass. No. No, no, no- "What did you just say?" he asked, anger barely concealed, and stood up. He took a step towards me, and I cowered slightly in my chair. "N-nothing." I did as I was told, tossing my favorite shirt over my head. Being obedient kept me out of trouble. Phil's "lessons" had taught me that._

_He ogled my body eagerly, eyes repeatedly stealing glances at my chest. I was half-naked in front of him, and I knew what came next. It was the same thing, day after day. He would want me. And, my unwillingness forgotten, he would take me. "Stand up." I stood, obeying him, keeping myself out of trouble. He walked over to me and cupped my breasts, each hand rubbing them. I could see the bulge grow in his pants, and I could feel my breath coming in short gasps. He was going to do it again._

_He took my hand and pulled me into the kitchen, picking me up and placing me on the countertop. His tongue assaulted my mouth, and his lips moved fiercely. He pinched me, making my yelp. "You know what to do, Isabella," he growled. He went to kiss me again, and this time I responded, fear making me dumb as I moved my lips against his. His hands pulled at my jeans and tugged them off, leaving only dark blue panties covering my hips and nether region. He unbuttoned his own pants, breaking the kiss to rub his underwear-clad erection against me._

_I winced, and he misunderstood my fear as excitement; he removed his underwear, and dragged me down from the countertop. He pushed me until I was on my knees and then he smacked my face with his hard length. "Suck on it, Isabella." I was afraid, and my fear prevented me from focusing properly on what he had said. "I said suck!" he yelled, and I jumped and quickly complied, pushing his penis into my mouth. I could feel salty tears flow down my cheeks as he grabbed my head and moved it forward, making me gag. He made me bob my head back and forth, and his moans made me sick to my stomach. I felt his salty cum in my mouth and I pulled back, spitting it out as he spurted white thick liquid onto the tiled floor._

_I could feel his hands shaking. They wrapped around my throat and squeezed, pulling me to my feet while I stared at his face like a deer in headlights. "You little bitch," he rasped. He started to shake me. I could feel my teeth rattling. "You spit my shit out? I'll teach you to reject what I give you." He reached down to his pants and started unlooping his belt, making me squeak as I knew what was coming next. "Wait! I'm s-sorry! I didn't m-mean to spit it o-out! I'm s-sick! It j-just, i-it, i-it came out."_

_I felt the sting of the belt buckle on my back, and I screamed, the pain enough to make me cry. His rough hand slapped me, and my cheek burned, and his hand on my throat relaxed. "Now lick it up, bitch!" he shouted, pointing to the floor. "All of it!" Sobbing, I got on my hands and knees and started to lick the floor, cleaning his cum off of the tiles. He stroked my hair, his voice attempting to soothe me. "It's all right, my darling, it's alright. I didn't want to punish you, but you made me. You made me do that. You know that, don't you? You've got to behave better Isabella." His hand tightened around my throat again. "I own you. Do you understand me? As long as I'm your legal guardian, I own your tight ass. And pretty soon, I will be."_

I could feel his hands on my hips, and they jerked me back to reality. I removed myself from him, glaring. I had forgotten. I _was not _that frightened young girl anymore. I was a vampire. And I kicked ass.

"What are you here for, Phil?" I said loudly. I wanted nothing more than for him to be on his way. He was next to me again, and I resisted the instinct to kick him in the balls."You look good, Isabella. I dare say, better than your mother." He was smirking at me, and I wanted to rip him apart and feed him to the birds. "What are you doing here," I demanded once again. He shrugged at my question. "Someone told me you were here. And I just had to see you, Isabella. I've missed you."

I snorted. "You're a monster. You can't miss anyone. You only feed off of other's pain."

"Now, now. Don't be upset." His hand touched my cheek, and I jerked away as if I was burned; I didn't want him touching me. I didn't want him anywhere near me. "You wanted it, Isabella," he whispered. "I know you did. You teased me. Wearing those shorts and tight tops around me. You wanted it as bad as I did."

You've been living a fucking lie if you thought I ever wanted anyone remotely **_like_** you. "You were my fucking step-father. I was sixteen! And what man interprets a girl wearing clothes around him as something sexual. I was your daughter. Your step-daughter! If you really worried about me, you should have told me to go cover up. Nothing you say can make what you've done right." I glared at him. Was he really trying to justify his actions? What had Renee ever seen in him?

He tried to touch me again. I growled. "Don't come any closer," I warned him. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. I tried to get away. "Let go of me." He smirked and closed his eyes, leaning in. I squeezed my eyes shut and felt a barrage of emotions flood me. Pain. Helplessness. And anger. There was a whole lot of anger.

My body grew hot, like someone had turned up the heat. I could feel my rage growing. The air started to blow around us, and there was a clap of thunder. My palms began to glow and without thinking, I pushed forward. There was a bright flash of light. I saw Phil fly backwards.

And then everything went black.

* * *

><p>The darkness had swallowed me whole, and I could feel my body, but I couldn't use it. It wasn't responding, and I wasn't moving. I could hear voices, feel the different touches on my skin. "I don't think we can touch her, you guys." That was Emmett. His voice was deep, and rumbling, like thunder.<p>

"We have to try. And keep that scumbag away from her." The tinkering of bells. Alice. I could feel her feather-light touch as she smoothed my hair from my forehead. "He's out like she is. I doubt he's getting up anytime soon." That one was Rosalie. I could smell hand-sanitizer and roses from her.

"Someone told him she was here. Edward. Look for anyone having a private conversation on a cell phone." There was Jonah. I could hear the raw throatiness in his tone, and the whooshing of air as one of two secret lovers had sped away. I never did get to tell Rose. Someone's hands were on my lower back; holding me. I felt as if I was up in the air, and I could feel the sway of my body.

They were carrying me. Jonah's hands were at the front; he was gripping my arms tight enough to bruise, if I was human. But there was someone else's hands at my back, gentle, but calloused slightly. I could smell a mixture of citrus and lemons. If it was possible to move my jaw, it would have dropped. "I never knew this was what she hiding. How did these files slip past me?" His voice was smooth, with that same sexy southern drawl that made women swoon. Jasper.

"Guilty," Alice spoke. Her voice was laced with remorse. "I took them out before they reached you. I didn't want you to do something stupid like confront her about it." Score one for her. Knowing him, he _would _do something as stupid as confront me about it, and then we would end up duking it out until we were both mentally drained. "Mary Alice Brandon," Jasper hissed. She growled, and I almost jumped out of my skin. How _did _she sound so feral?

"Never mind that now," Jonah snapped. "She needs help." I heard Jasper murmur something about mute guys staying mute, and I giggled in my head. Conversation faded between them as they carried me somewhere; wherever it was, I had no clue. My mind wandered to the moments before my black-out.

What had been up with that light? That surge of power. I'd never felt anything like it. My hands had been glowing. And Mother Nature had gone haywire. Thunder, lightning, a strong breeze; it was like the makings of a really good tornado. Not that I wanted a tornado. Those things were _not _fun. At all.

I felt my body being laid onto something stiff, wooden. A table? I could only guess. My body still wasn't responding, and I was starting to panic. What if I was stuck this way forever? I mentally shuddered, pushing the thought out of my mind for the time being.

"Mrs. Cope," I heard Jasper say, and the scraping of a chair on stone. "Mr. Whitlock," she replied back as politely. "Alice, Jonah, Emmett, Rosalie. Err, I'm sorry, I'm at a loss as to your name, young man." The voice chuckled. I could distinctly smell a familiar scent of ice cream and strawberries. "Michael, ma'am. Michael Standon." Michael? Michael from the secret-but-not-so-secret-party Michael? I squealed like a fan-girl at a Harry Potter convention. My mind echoed the shriek until I was annoyed and partly angry that I couldn't jump up and touch his firm muscles.

"A pleasure to meet you, Michael. What seems to be the problem?" Someone shuffled, and she gasped. I felt her warm hands on my cheeks, then my forehead. "What happened to her? What is this?" No one spoke. No one moved. "Why is she like this?" she spoke in a hushed voice. Her hands smoothed over my hair. I wished I could speak, to soothe her nerves; her heart was beating so fast, and I was worried she would have a heart attack.

"We…ah, we don't actually know." That was Emmett. He seemed at a loss for words. "There was a brief storm before we found her. She was passed out, like this, laying on the ground. Someone _else_," he snarled, making it clear that that other person disgusted him, "was the same way. We don' understand how it happened."

"Mrs. Cope," I heard Jasper speak. "Only you can do this. I know you can. Alyssa got her gift from someone. And I know for a fact it was genetic." I inwardly gasped. Grams was gifted?

I heard the bracelets on her arms cling together, and I knew she was wringing her hands, the same way she did when she was worried. "Yes, it's true. I am the genetic reason Alyssa has her gift. But using my own magic would deplete my life force and make my life only that much shorter. You will have to find Alyssa to do it."

"The five of you, fan out and search for her. Tell her it of the utmost importance." I heard whooshing sounds, and knew Michael, Rosalie, Jonah, Emmett, and Alice were gone. Mrs. Cope sighed. "If you know her gift was genetic, then you also know what happened to her parents."

"It was a simple mistake. Not even she knows."

"It's only made her magic stronger because of it, and that isn't a good thing; she was stronger than most before. All that energy concentrated into one being…it's dangerous, Jasper. Dangerous enough that the abundance of it that she released while she was being born killed her own parents." I couldn't help but mumbled the cliché "oh my god" in my head. _That _was why she lived with her grandmother. Because her parents were dead.

"I had to fight tooth and nail to get her, too. I don't know what my Jeanine was thinking, assigning those two imbeciles the role of godparents. Do you know what they were doing when I found her? Starving her! All because she wouldn't use her "freak powers" to help them open the lock to the safe in the apartment of their building manager. Those cruel, horrid people."

I wanted to find them and end them for what they'd done. "Thank god she doesn't remember any of it. Or maybe she's just blocked it all out. Either way, I hope those memories never surface."

"It could be hours before they find her. Can't you do something? Anything? There has to be something you can do to help her."

There was a steady silence, the only sound I could hear being her breathing. "You care for her," she mumbled. He scoffed, making a noise in the back of his throat. "She is a valued fighter. I don't want her injured before she does any real damage." I wanted to roll my eyes. Lies. He loved me, in a weird I-hate-you-but-you're-not-as-annoying-as-you-could-be way.

"I can do one thing. Something that won't drain me as much as awakening her. I can see what caused this in the first place." Was that really possible? Could she really see into my brain? "Do it. Please." He sounded desperate, and his warm hand stroked my cheek softly. I couldn't help but be stunned into silence.

"_Pelh em ese het tsap fo hist dhicl_," she spoke quietly. I could feel the magic in the air, crackling and coming to life, almost. "_Hwos em twah dema reh hist yaw_." And then, I could feel her. Almost as if she was joining me, in my head. The scene of my leave with Phil was playing back for us both. I watched as I walked towards him, as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and steered me away. I watched as he pushed me in a run, and I seemed to have a blank, dazed look on my face. And then I blinked, and seemed to come to my senses, and pushed him away, an angry glare on my face.

The conversation repeated. _"What are you doing here, Phil?"_ I could see the smile on his face waver slightly, almost as if he was hesitant in speaking with me. And then he smirked. _"You look good, Isabella. I dare say, better than your mother." _I rose to the bait. My teeth were barred, and I almost looked ferocious as I stared at him. _"What are you doing here." _I had demanded for an answer to his sudden arrival. He had gazed everywhere but my face for that part before settling on an answer.

_"Someone told me you were here. And I just had to see you Isabella. I missed you." _I could see it now. The lie was etched on his face. He didn't miss me. He was here for me. He was here for something else as well. Something he liked. Something he wanted badly. I could see the hunger in his eyes.

I saw myself snort. _"You're a monster. You don't miss anyone. You only feed off of other's pain." _His irises darkened, and I saw I had angered him. So why was he holding back? Why hadn't he hit me? _"Now, now. Don't be upset."_ His hand touched my cheek, and I jerked away, revulsion evident on my facial features. _"You wanted it, Isabella." _Not even he believed the words he was saying. Something wasn't right. _"I know you did. You teased me. Wearing those shorts and tight tops around me. You wanted it as bad as I did." _Something **really **wasn't right here. He was saying the words. So why didn't he believe them?

My glare got more intense, and I almost wanted to call myself the Ice Queen. _"You were my fucking step-father. I was sixteen! And what man interprets a girl wearing clothes around him as something sexual. I was your daughter. Your step-daughter! If you really worried about me, you should have told me to go cover up. Nothing you say can make what you've done right."_

He had reached for me. I had moved away. _"Don't come any closer_," I had warned. He had looked to the left slightly, a barely perceptible motion. What was on the left? I looked over. Nothing. I continued watching that side, waiting. He grabbed my arm, and bent close, and I saw his lips pucker faintly. The sky started to darken, and I heard the boom of thunder. A flash of lightning was seen, illuminating the scene even more. My palms were glowing. And right as I pushed Phil backwards, I saw it. I saw him.

Standing in the trees, holding a camera, was Michael Standon. And on his dark green shirt was the symbol of the Volturi.

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><p><em>Sorry for the short one, guys. I wanted it to be longer, but with my focus on school, I'm doing what I can. Hey, at least you didn't have to wait months for this one, right? Anyways, DUN DUN DUN! So Mr. Hottie-Mc-Hotster is the spy? Crazy. I sure as hell didn't see that coming.<em>

_As always, I would love to hear your opinions. Reviews are my inspiration to another chapter. You guys fuel my writing jets. Love you all! xox_

**Reviewers of the Last Chapter: **RebeccaTherese-Chan, Mrs. Jim, KittyAsrai, heatherlynn0226, kouga's older woman, EN426, gleek987, blue eyed vamp, IheartJW, JXB Addicted, scareDcat, LiesTemptHer, Deborah Stone- KarmabalanceDeb, twilightfan888, LadyTwitchyness, Moni18 xXx, wtdancer18, 1dreamkeeper, NatalieLynn, Twhylitelvr77, mooonlove2527, Dewfs, Twisted-Twilighter, Fleur24, Nyx Nuit, justxwords, XmariskaX, AimeeLOU, roon0


	21. Chapter 19: In Plain Sight

_Hiya folks. Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth there. I **really **gotta start planning this fics out better. Anyways, thanks for all the reviews from last chapter; my inbox was flooded. You guys rock ;)_

_Reviewers, anonymous or not, your names will be posted in the ending AN._

Vulgar language, BDSM references, some sexism, [eventual] lemons, dark/mature topics, and much much more that makes this rated M.

**_A big thank you to my good friend Melby, who beta'd for me in Carter's absence. Muchas gracias, amiga :]_**

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 19 - In Plain Sight

**Bella**

The symbol was really nothing more than a pin, with a blood-red "V in the center of a golden circle. But only Volturi members wore the pendant; only they were allowed to. The last person to fake being a Volturi? Instant termination. There was nothing left of him but a pile of ashes, courtesy of a member of the guard. They were strong, and feared, and the only thing stopping almost every vampire in the world from running loose in the streets during the day, grabbing whatever human smelled the most tasty.

The answers were clearly in front of me. Michael was a Volturi recruit, sent on a mission. I had yet to see what the mission truly was, to understand it, but I knew it had something to do with the large Italian coven. They wanted something, something from here that would most likely strengthen them in the battle to come.

It was currently August, and we were three days into the most sweltering heat-wave ever. At some point, we would meet, and a battle would commence that would go down in history as the biggest immortal fight of all time.

Phil. He was another piece to the growing puzzle. He was being employed by the Volturi. He had genuinely wanted me, that much I was sure of; but he had also wanted something else. Something that would be given to his newest allies.

I could feel Grams fading from my subconscious, and I wanted to call to her, give her the information I had pieced together; but I could not. It was like someone had glued my mouth shut, and encased my feet in some kind of vampire-proof cement.

"You have a spy in your midst." Her voice was drained, like she was tired, and I heard the wooden chair creak as she sat down. Her heart was beating erratically, and I wanted to yell at him for pushing her. She was an old woman. She was a tough old bird, granted, but nonetheless she was old; a heart attack wasn't exactly out of the realm of possibility. "Who." His voice was hard, and his short word was phrased as no kind of question. He was back to full-on Major mode.

"The young man. Michael." His teeth snapped shut audibly. "Some kind of pendant was pinned to his shirt. A-"

"I know of the trinket," he interrupted. "I shall have to arrange a meeting with the Volturi soon. Before the summer's end. Was there anything else?" I could hear her heart pounding, beating unevenly. "No," she lied. "This was the only thing I noticed." Her heartbeat was still frantic, the way all humans heartbeat increases when lying. But if he noticed, he didn't say anything. "I appreciate your help, Mrs. Cope." I heard the sound of whooshing air, and no longer smelled his presence in the room. He was gone.

There was a knock on the door. Shuffling footsteps, and then a creak as the door was opened. "Come in, please," I heard Grams say. Another person, human, entered the room. She smelled like coffee and something else. Something unfamiliar. I couldn't place it, and that in itself sparked my curiosity. "You want me to bring back an immortal?" Her voice was hard, and angry. But there was a trace of sorrow, as well. Like a person that's seen too much in their lifetime. "Please. You're the only one with this specialty."

She sighed. "Very well." The air began to crackle around her, and I could practically feel the magic as it filled the air. "_Irse gaani guoyn milomtra, nad keta ruyo cepla gaonm het viginl; hwos ruyo retu rofm rof het rowdl ot ese._" I could feel my body, becoming stronger; there was a bright flash of light. I opened my eyes and sat up quickly, flexing my fingers and toes to make sure everything worked right. There was a sharp intake of breath.

I looked to the right, where Grams was sitting. Next to her was another women. She was young, about a few years older than me, I suppose. She had inky black hair that cascaded down her back, and piercing blue eyes that almost seemed to be looking at my soul. "Thank you, Twyla," Grams spoke. She nodded and grimaced, making a sort of grunt, and walked to the door, flinging it open and stalking away, her big black shoulder bag swinging behind her.

"Grams," I muttered. It was a simple word, but it was like a dam bursting. She rushed over and began checking me over, pushing her hand to my forehead and looking for imaginary symptoms. "Oh, Bella. Anything hurt? Are you alright? How are you feeling? Oh, she's never done that on a vampire before, I wasn't sure how-"

"I'm fine," I interrupted, hugging her to me. "I was just immobile. I could still hear, feel, and smell things." She seated herself in a chair next to the table. "It is obvious you are gifted, Bella. Magic like that does not just resurface after so long." Magic? "Erm, Grams, I don't think-"

She held up a hand. "I know magic when I see it. And I certainly saw it today. Such power! But, let me explain everything to you. Starting with the glow from your hands." I looked down at them now; there was no glow now, and nothing else with the rest of my body. They were normal now, save the slight tingling I felt. "Have you ever heard the words, _het lebsesd dhicl_?" I remembered hearing it once. Renee was discussing it with my grandmother, how Charlie was talking in his sleep, and he kept muttering those words. I nodded. At the time, they'd been inadequate to me, but they'd seemed so strange, I had locked the words into my brain to try to figure out later.

"My mother. She was asking my grandmother what the words meant. My father talked in his sleep." She nodded, but she still looked faintly surprised. "Interesting. You get it from the patriarchic side of you family. This is considered somewhat rare, seeing as how not many boys are born into the realm of magic."

Interesting, indeed. I was curious, however, as to why it was surfacing now. What about all those times with Phil? Nothing had happened. I had never pushed him backwards with a flash of light coming from my palms before now. "You're wondering about that man. The one who you directed your power at."

I didn't have it in me to argue. I simply nodded. "I can tell you've had a very sad past, Bella. It was sorrowful, and for that I am sorry. But magic does not stem from fear. It stems from confidence. Despite what that man did to you, whenever you stopped fearing him, your magic came rushing out. And powerful magic it is. Not many beginners can achieve such a strong protection spell." _Protection spell? Beginner?_ Confusion raced through my mind. "What am I, then? If I'm not a vampire," I said hesitantly. "What am I?"

"Oh, dear. You're still a vampire. Magic is infused within the soul. Despite how your form changes, the magic will continue to grow. You will most likely be the first female vampire Magi in over a thousand years." I raised an eyebrow. A Magi? "What is that? A Magi," I clarified. She smiled. "A Magi is what we call ourselves. And every Magi is different. Everyone has a special talent, you could call it. Some form of magic that they excel at. For most it's telekinesis, or a psychic ability. There are few with anything else."

"The weather," I said, remembering. "It went haywire. When I was using the magic." Her eyes widened. "I don't believe it. An elemental. After all these years."

I raised an eyebrow. "Elementals have an affinity with the elements. Depending on your mood, I suppose, you can control the earth, air, water, or fire. It is a very rare gift. The last Magi to have such an affinity died in 1823. For years, we have gone without one." I couldn't believe it. Me? Magic? It was impossible. It had to be. But my mind focused on another topic, one I remembered her mentioning earlier. "What about Alyssa? She's magic. Where does she fit into all of this."

Grams sighed. "Twelve years ago, a prophecy was written that would predict the birth of a child. _Het lebsesd dhicl_, to be exact. The blessed child. He or she would hold enormous power, unrivaled by anything or anyone in the world. And that same child would be the greatest Magi of all time." I stared at her confusedly.

And then everything suddenly clicked. "Alyssa." She nodded. "Born October 31, on All Hallows Eve, at the time of an eclipse, during a meteor shower. All the signs were there. But I had hoped and prayed my daughter wouldn't be the mother to such a child."

I remembered what she'd said earlier. _"All that energy concentrated into one being…it's dangerous, Jasper. Dangerous enough that the abundance of it that she released while she was being born killed her own parents."_ It wasn't hard to understand why. "All that magic," I murmured. "All that energy in one person." It was saddening. "She doesn't know, does she."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement, one that she confirmed with the shake of her head. "I can't find it in my heart to tell her. She will blame herself, I'm sure of it. She never asked for this power, but she bears it nonetheless. Still. I can't find it in me to give her all the responsibility that comes with it. She is only a child. Despite all her gifts, all her power, she is only a young girl."

_All her gifts. All that power._ It was like a lightbulb going off. A feeling of dread filled me. "We have to go find her. Now." She jumped up, brushing off her dress and hurrying out the door with me. "Bella? Why? What's wrong?"

"They didn't want just me. They want Alyssa too."

* * *

><p>We searched high and low for her.<p>

Michael was nowhere to be found. Edward and Alice were out looking for him, seeing as how their gifts were blocked by Alyssa's magic. Rosalie and Emmett were both looking for her down by the swimming pool and the stables. I knew she loved horses. I had never journeyed down there. Animals in general got skittish around me. They had a better radar than humans, when it came to my kind.

With Edward and Alice and Rosalie and Emmett gone, that left me, Jonah, Grams, and Jasper in our own tight-knit group. "How you holding up?" I heard Jonah whisper. I rolled my eyes. Everyone except Grams could hear us. I think. I had no clue. Magi could cast any sort of spells, couldn't they? "I'm fine," I murmured. I was still trying to connect things together. I had the basic facts. Michael was a spy for the Volturi. Phil wanted me back. The Volturi wanted Alyssa. And me. I was magic. I was a Magi.

But where did that leave me? Being a Magi seemed incredibly important. Important enough that I'd never been told what I was, that my powers had never surfaced until I had become immortal and stood up to the man who'd had a hand in making me miserable. I wondered if Renee had even known it was possible. I wondered what would have happened if she had known. Would I have been sent away, to my father? Would Charlie Swan have been the parent to raise me instead?

It was impossible to know, now. I had lived the life I was meant to, I suppose. Holding onto the what-if's would be no help to anyone, let alone me. Renee's betrayal, Phil's abuse - they made me stronger. And perhaps my strength was the greatest power of all.

I suddenly got a flash. An image, flitting through my head. I could make out long, fiery red hair. The sound of water. The nickering of a horse. Something gray and white. The feeling of soft grass underneath me. And eyes. Dark, coal black eyes. The image dissipated, leaving me confused for a split second.

And then an explosion of pain in my head knocked me on my ass.

One minute, I was staring out towards the stables. The next, I was blinking, feeling the hard earth underneath me. Jonah picked me up, cradling me to his chest. "Go back to the house, Isabella," I heard Jasper say. He seemed to be struggling with something. I examined his dark red eyes as he stared at me. "No," I forced out under his gaze. His eyes narrowed and he seemed to glare at me. "Come on, Belly. You're obviously not feeling well. Let's just go back, okay?"

"No!" I said, standing up. "She's still out there. I got an image in my head or something. She's by the stables. For whatever reason, Rose and Emmett haven't found her. She's in trouble. Someone else is out there. Someone thirsty."

Jasper eyed me carefully, like I had lost all my marbles. I placed both hands on my hips, and gave him a glare. "Fine. If you want to find the bloody remains of Alyssa, you do that. I'm trying to save her life. So you either believe me and listen, or start planning a funeral." Grams gave a sob. She pulled out a hankercheif, and I felt bad for saying all that in front of her. I had just been trying to put a point across.

"Jonah. Escort Mrs. Cope back to her home please." In a lower voice, he added, "And stay with her. Whoever wants Alyssa, may want her too." He nodded, and scooped her up like she was nothing more than a bag he was carrying. With a pointed glance at me, he blurred away. I huffed. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be careful."

"You better!" I heard someone yell. I rolled my eyes. Drama-queen.

Looking back at Jasper, he seemed to have calmed some. His stance wasn't the guarded, ready-to-defend mode I'd seen most times. He looked relaxed, yet ready for battle. "Alright. Let's go." In a minute, we reached the stables. I tried to concentrate. She had been looking at the stables. Which meant she had to be somewhere in the woods.

"The woods. She's somewhere in there." He nodded, and left me behind, seperating us. I growled under my breath and began my own search. Half-way through the forest, I felt a slight tingling. Like something was drawing me towards them. I could feel the pull, focused on the large cedar tree. I looked down into a hole I noticed.

Sitting there, her knees pulled to her chest, was Alyssa. She looked up at me. Her eyes were a bright, cerulean blue. With a quiet breath, the color faded to green. "Bella," she breathed. She leaped out of the hole. No, correction, she leaped through it. I could practically see the particles seperating as her arms wrapped around my neck and she phased completely through the tree trunk.

"Rose and Emmett were here. Why didn't you go to them?" I asked, stroking her hair. She stiffened. "Because he was watching them." Shit. "Who was watching them?" Her brow furrowed, almost as if she had to think hard about it. "I don't know his name. I don't know who he is."

Her eyes found mine, and I saw the fear in them. "He's bad, Bella. Really, really bad. Evil. I could feel it. I could see..." She shook her head. "I could see all the things he wanted to do. All the things he did. He killed people. He murdered a lot of women."

"Fuck." I had to get her out of here. "Come on, we gotta go." I tried to help her onto my back. But she seemed to be almost stuck, it seemed. "He knows you. I saw pictures of you. In his head. From when you were little." I froze. Phil. Phil had seen her. He was coming for her._ Shit. Shit, shit, fucking shit._

"Alright. Come on, Alyssa. We gotta go. Right now." She climbed onto my back. I heard a quiet zip through the air. "Oh!" she gasped. Her eyelids suddenly fluttered closed. She slumped forward, her arms and legs no longer supporting her body. "Alyssa?" I grabbed her and pulled her to my front.

There, in her side, was a small red dart. A tranqualizing dart.

I laid her body on the ground and looked around, watching for her attacker. Her body was suddenly in the air, hair floating behind her as she was levitating. I tried to reach for her, but she was pulled higher, out of my grasp. And then she was zipped towards a spot in the woods.

Suddenly, three people appeared. I recognized all three of them.

"You." It was all I snarled, but Phil smirked, knowing it was directed at him. Michael simply watched carefully. But when I gazed at the third person, my heart broke a little. I had felt sorry for her. I had held sympathy for her. I was a fool. "Zak."

* * *

><p>"No funny business, Isabella. Otherwise...," he trailed off, gesturing to Alyssa; she was still out cold. They had given her enough tranquilizer to knock out a horse. Zak cradled her, not meeting my eyes.<p>

Phil was assigned baby-sitting duties; his eyes never left me, although every once in a while they flickered to Zak, unabashedly roaming her body. I couldn't help the bile that rose from my throat. Phil was a sick, sick man - not even a man. A creature. He was monster. He knew it. And so did I.

But did the Volturi? Phil was a trickster; he would play the role of the loyal follower, until relaxation set in. Then he would strike.

I wished I could control my magic a little better; or even control it at all. I would have been able to do some real damage. Taken out a few people, kept Alyssa safe. I had failed. I been kidnapped, with only Alyssa as my ransom; for her, I would do anything - including let myself be taken on a one-way trip to Italy. I was still marveling at the vision I had received. Had she sent it to me? Or had it been another part of being a Magi, another gift that came with discovering my magical heritage?

"Let's go," I heard Phil sneer. His hands encircled my waist as he pulled me to my feet, letting one hand linger on my left ass cheek. I gave him a shove. He had a hand around my throat in a second. For some reason, I knew what to do this time. I raised a hand, exposing my palm. it glowed brightly, and I saw his face drop. He paled considerably before releasing me. "Just grab the kid," he directed at Zak. She grabbed Alyssa and held her close, carrying her bridal-style.

We boarded another plane. I was following the swinging red ponytail when an arm gripped my shoulder. "Ah, ah, ah, sweetness. You get to sit with your truly." He gave me a wink. Zak and Alyssa were kept separate from me this time, a punishment for my noncooperation, I presumed. I gritted my teeth, but sat down next to him, on the inside of the seat, next to the window. A woman came by and offered us pillows. I declined politely, but Phil decided he was bored.

"If you kindly meet me in the restroom, I can offer something to you as well," he murmured softly, eyes never leaving her own. She seemed almost in a trance. I watched as she opened her mouth to accept, and then I couldn't help it. I snorted. The spell broke and she looked down at me, obviously startled.

"Excuse my husband," I said sweetly, giving Phil a smirk. "He's on medication. He tends to say whatever pops into his head first. Don't worry. I'll keep him in line. Don't take anything he says seriously." With a glance of horror, she turned and walked away, skipping her normal pillow-offering routine and walking straight into the cabin. "Playing with humans, in such a crowded space?" I frowned at him. "Don't be an idiot, Phil." He smiled at me, a sickening gleam in his eyes. "And you, Isabella. Don't forget you manners."

It seems he was the one who had forgotten. "I think you need to be reminded of your own. Me? I'm not a sex slave, or a little pet. I'm a person. And keep talking to me like anything but, and there'll be a stick shoved up your ass so hard you'll look , and feel, like a popsicle." His face was blank, expressionless as he stared at me. "Good. I'm glad we had this little talk."

I dug around in the bag Michael had handed Phil as we departed company. He was up in first class, enjoying luxury. Asshole. Found it. I pulled out the iPod, unlocking it and searching through the +5000 songs that had been downloaded onto it. I composed my own playlist, dubbing it "Bella's Kidnapped Tunes". I was taking this with me when I left. I hit shuffle, pressed play, and waited for the first driftings of music to float into my eardrum.

_So scared of breaking it, that you won't let it bend...and I wrote two hundred letters I will never send...sometimes these cuts are so much deeper than they seem...you'd rather cover up, I'd rather let them be... _

I relaxed into the seat, only placing one headphone in. In minutes I was thinking of another place to be. I wondered what would happen to me, to Alyssa. I knew they had wanted her. I knew they wanted me. What I didn't know was why. And Zak? Where did she fit into this? No one could be this evil. No one. There had to be another explanation. Or maybe you're just a fool. Maybe. It was possible, but I would hold two scenarios in my mind for now.

The Volturi had ruled for centuries. After the Romanians lost their kingdom, the Volturi gained one. They gathered troops. They created a guard. Aro, Caius, and Marcus. They were the leaders of the Volturi, the rulers that everyone sought to protect.

There was the gifted. Alec and Jane, the twins; pain and nothingness. They were dangerous. Chelsea; she kept them bonded. Without her, everyone would eventually wonder why they were protecting the three elder immortals. Demetri; he was a tracker. He got a flicker into your mind, and then he could find you from anywhere in the world. And there was Aro's personal guard; Renata. She was shield. Like me.

Eleazar had once explained to me that while many could have the same gift, none worked in the same way. My shield was internal. No one could reach my mind without my consent. Renata was a physical shield in a mental way; she could redirect your path, change your thoughts until you wondered why you had skirted around this person. Same gift. Different operating sources.

A tapping on my cheek. I opened my eyes, annoyed. "Let's go," he said. I sighed and stood, pulling down a bag packed with store-bought clothes for me. I carried it out on my way down, waiting on the asphalt for Phil. "Ah, good girl," he cooed. I rolled my eyes. "Forgetting your manners again, Phil." He frowned, eyes flashing with anger. He was a control freak. I knew it. The more I did to get him riled up, the happier I would be. He couldn't kill me yet. Not until my audience with the Volturi was fulfilled.

Alyssa was still out, held in Zak's arms. "Bella...," her voice broke slightly. "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." I pretended not to hear her. I didn't need her apology right now. I grabbed Alyssa from her. She let her go without a fight. Stroking her hair behind her ear, I followed Phil, winding through crowds of tourists.

As we reached an abandoned alley-way, I heard the sound of a foot stepping down. I spun around. Swathed in two cloaks that were dark as night, two people came up behind us. I stiffened, shielding Alyssa from them.

The left one pulled off their hood. "Calm, Isabella Swan," he said. His voice was smooth, yet rough. It had a nice edge to it. His dark brown hair was shiny, and his red eyes seemed to stare through me. "We mean you no harm." He did not approach us, though.

The second figure removed their hood. She had shiny blond hair, and unlike the male with her, her eyes looked straight at me. She regarded me coldly, not speaking. I felt a slight pressure point, and looked around confused. "Just checking. It seems Aro was right. Your shield is most...powerful." It was more a snide remark than a compliment, but I sighed.

"Thanks."

We walked a few more blocks, until we reached the golden green gates of the Volturi. I stood there, hesitant as to meet the men who were considered royalty in our world.

Phil pushed me. "Hurry up," he whined. I huffed, steeling my shoulders, and stepped inside, taking four steps forward.

The doors shut behind me with an audible boom.

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><em>Ugh, I've been disappearing more and more lately. And I'm really sorry about that. I know there are no real excuses as to WHY I've been disappearing. The only explanation I can offer is, real life gets in the way of my fantasy musings. Sorry for the extra-long wait guys.<em>

_Anyways, I've really got to start planning this story out better. But, in another turn of events, I'm going to submit two mystery views for the next chapters. You'll know who it is through the writing and whatnot, but I'm not listing names ;)_

_Anyways, free previews to the next chapter. Sorry again for the wait, you guys. As always, I'd love to hear what you think. Kisses to you all! xox_

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	22. Chapter 20: Speak No Evil

_Hey guys. THANK GOD IT'S SUMMER :D Sorry for abandoning this for so long. It's been TWO MONTHS since I last updated. Insanity. Thanks you all for the patience and non-threatening emails. Don't you just hate writer's block? It's a plague, I swear._

_Reviewers, anonymous or not, your names will be posted in the ending AN._

**Warned:** Vulgar language, BDSM references, some sexism, [eventual] lemons, dark/mature topics, and much much more makes this rated M.

**_Shoutout to Melby, who has become my new beta :] Merci beaucoup, mon ami. Vous avez été d'une grande aide._**

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 20 - Speak No Evil

In the eyes of the world, I was mute. I had no voice, and made no real sound. I was invisible. I liked being invisible. I liked not being seen. I liked it so much, I pretended to be mute.

Everything started with the earliest memory. But my childhood, that was where it began. I was seven when he first hit me. The man I called Daddy, the man I had trusted with all of my heart, had smacked me clear across the cheek, and left a large bruise on my swollen face as I cried. Annabelle had run up to him and, screaming loud enough to wake the dead, began pounding on him with her fists. He swiped her away with a large paw and, almost oblivious to our tears, he stumbled upstairs to his bed.

I remembered that one memory well, better than anything else; even after going through the agony of being changed, I still remembered. It was the first time he'd laid a hand on me, the first time he had really acknowledged my presence during his drunken stupors. Really, my human life wasn't anything special. My father was a drunk. My mother was unable to save her children. My sister died from being unlucky. Her lanky, skinny frame grew curves in the right places, and a pair of breasts where a flat board had once been.

She'd caught my father's eye at the age of 14, and it had been her undoing.

After becoming orphaned, I was taken in by my Aunt Caroline, younger sister to my father. I had expected yelling and bottles of whiskey. Imagine my shocked expression when I walked in to a tidy home, free of a single drop of alcohol.

Caroline had welcomed me with open arms; she always had dinner on the table, always kept the house clean. She went to church on Sundays and prayed by her bed before sleeping. She washed the clothes every Tuesday and helped me with any schoolwork I might have. She was everything my mother had not been. It scared me to the bone.

To know that not only my father, but my mother, were both slightly brain damaged was another shocker. My father had been a sadist, taking pleasure in the kill of my sister and mother, taking pleasure in the abuse he doled out daily. My mother was more of a stay-in-bed, don't-move-unless-the-house-was-on-fire kind of woman. She wept for the sorrow of having an abusive husband, but she mostly slept off the exhausted energy; she didn't cook, she didn't clean, and she certainly didn't try to protect us from him. She made him angrier, if anything.

And with no real mother to take care of us, Annabelle took it upon herself to do the things my mother would not. She cooked any food she possibly could, she snuck money from our father, and made the food last until she had gathered enough to be able to go grocery shopping; she cleaned the house, from changing bed linens, to sweeping the floors. She tried to distract our father from me, from our mother; and I tried desperately to keep his attention focused on me.

She had been my protector. And I had been hers.

Caroline didn't press, or demand explanation. She was a gentle, kind woman, with a warm smile for me whenever she caught my eye. She didn't ever mention her brother, the man who had made me parent- and sibling-less.

The first month I was here, I had been catatonic. I hadn't spoken, eaten, or done anything except go to the bathroom or sleep. My cousins, Harold and Shawn, thought I was weird. Shawn, too young at age 6 to be told the details, especially didn't understand why I was in their house. I had heard him once, asking questions. Didn't I have a sister? Wouldn't my mother and father miss me? And why wasn't I talking?

Harold knew. He was two years my senior, and as such, he was told all the gory details. The first week, he had avoided me. Eyes down, no touching, not a single interaction. The second, he was genuinely worried about me. He would call my name, and when I would finally look up, he would ask if I was okay. I didn't answer. I didn't want to. I just wanted to curl into a ball and cry about the injustice of the world.

A day later after I first saw his concern, he left an apple in my room. I didn't understand why, until I read the note attached. _I know how much you don't like applesauce. So I go you this instead. Eat up._ I had taken my first bite tentatively. And after I chewed the piece, releasing the juices into my mouth, I ate it ravenously, like a wolf that had just found it's first meal in weeks.

I left the chewed up apple core, mangled and sucked dry, on my dresser, and curled up again to sleep. I faced away from the door. I didn't want them to see my wet cheeks. When the door opened, I heard a sharp intake of breath, and then the door slammed once more. I turned. This time a pear was sitting on the dresser, freshly picked. The note had made me smile, something almost impossible. _I don't know how to make pear-sauce. _

I started to eat. I still didn't talk. I couldn't find it in me to form the words, to use my voice. I wrote on pieces of paper. Eventually I could gesture to things and Caroline or Harold would understand.

When I first went back to school, well-enough in the nutrition area to tend to my education, I was targeted. Bigger boys, stronger then me by several hundred pounds, would sneer and taunt. They'd ask if I was anything like my father, if I was going to rape their sisters or girlfriends. Girls would whisper when I walked by, giving me dirty looks. The one time a girl did talk to me, it was only to ask me to move, because she and her friends wanted to sit at that table. They'd been watching me cautiously, afraid of me.

It had broken my heart.

I had given them the table and thrown my food away. I had walked out the doors and walked home. And upon reaching my new home, I had opened the door and rushed past my aunt, into my room, to cry once more. I had seen the fear in their eyes. The same look Annabelle had given my father. The same look people gave me.

Caroline didn't press, for which I was thankful for. Harold, on the other hand, became my Annabelle. I remembered when he'd stood up for me.

_"Hey Harold, what about that weirdo cousin of yours, you know, the one with the rapist f-" _

_The boy was slammed into the locker. He never got to finish his question. Others stared in disbelief. "You idiot," he growled. "Did you ever suspect, even for the smallest moment, that his life was just as bad? His father was abusive for gods sake. And here are all of you, picking on him because of something he can't help. What the fucks is your problem?" No one spoke. It was quiet. Even the boy being shoved onto the locker was looking down. "_

_Well?" Everyone was watching him. "Answer me!" A few people jumped. _

_"I don't want to hear about this again. At all." He gave a nasty glare to a pack of girls. They could be as bad as the boys, at times. Several of them looked down. But the leader, their queen bee, she met his glare. "How do we know he's nothing like his father? He could do the same to us." Her voice quivered, however. Girls behind her were nodding, agreeing with her. _

_But Harold's lips were pursed. "How dare you assume something you can't possibly know. She was his sister. His father committed the act, not him. Would it be right for me to assume you're exactly like your mother?" The queen bee looked down. Her mother had walked out on them, left her and her father by themselves. "Would it be right for me to assume any of you is like your parents?" No words were said. _

_"Like I said, I don't want to hear about this again. You will be civil towards him. You don't have to like him, but at least be civil." He dropped the boy he'd been holding against the locker and rounded the corner to find me. "Come on Jonah," he said softly, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Let's just head home for lunch, okay?" _

_I nodded and we both walked out the doors, past a group of awestruck people watching us. _

He'd protected me. People were more polite, after that. No one brought up my father, or my sister. Harold taught me how to fight soon after his heated speech towards the small group of kids. There were always bullies, that much I knew. Some asshole who learned about who I was and who my father was and made fun of me because of it. Of course, they didn't think I could fight, and then they would get sorely surprised when I hit them in jaw with a closed fist.

I found out years later, after Harold had gotten married and left the house, that their father, Caroline's husband, had walked out on them. He had left for some younger woman and never turned back. I could only imagine how angry it made Harold, and how sad it made my aunt Caroline. But when I asked her about it, she'd told me no; it hadn't made her sad.

It had made her grateful. Grateful for the men in her life, her sons, me - thankfully, she never included my father in that list - and grateful that he'd left if he couldn't respect her enough to stay with her. She was a strong woman. I admired her. I wanted to find a woman like her one day.

I had no idea how bad my wish could turn.

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><p>My descent into the world of the supernatural had been accidental.<p>

I had met her at a party. I was surrounded by drunken idiots, complete with girls who flung themselves at me, begging for my attention, and boys who groped at girls with wild abandon. I wasn't drunk. I didn't drink. I had learned that lesson the hard way. I had seen what alcohol could do to people.

And then, she walked through the doors.

She had lengthy, dirty blond hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes had been a brilliant shade of blue. And she was wearing a dark green, incredibly sexy dress that showed off her beautiful curves. I heard every male in the room draw in a breath. Several woman growled. I could only imagine the massive cat-fight that was about to happen. Drunk and stupid, these women saw her as a threat, a chance to lose whatever husband or boyfriend or lover they had. Of course, they had every right to.

She was gorgeous. Her beauty surpassed every woman in the building. Yet to my surprise, she looked straight at me and smiled.

Our gazes were locked, and I felt as if time had frozen. My heart thudded in my chest, like it had needed to remind me it was there. I had never felt this way about anyone, especially not a woman. But she was different. Even from my lack of knowledge about this enticing creature, I felt as if she was my other half. My second piece. My soulmate. Her name was Melanie. She was 23. She was a natural blond. She was gorgeous.

And when she invited me to her house that same night, she feasted on my blood.

I had walked her to the door of her house, slightly worried due to the fact of it being empty. She had reassured me she could handle herself, and flashed me another mind-boggling smile. I almost fell over. Her tongue swiped over her dark, red lips, and without thinking about it, I leaned forward. And my lips touched hers.

It was like an explosion went off inside of me. I couldn't stop kissing her. My hands clutched at her like she was my salvation, pulling her closer to me, drawing her in. I needed to touch her, feel her, breathe in the scent that continued to pour from her skin. She smelled like cherries and lemonade, and French vanilla candles, and peaches, and I absolutely had to have her. We fell through the doorway, lips still locked, hands feverishly undressing each other. I pulled off her shirt - okay, really, I _ripped_ off her shirt - and my hands instantly went to her breasts, squeezing them as she moaned into my mouth.

Though it didn't fully register in my mind, she grabbed my shirt and ripped it in half down the middle. Her hands glided over my chest, my abs, my stomach, until they came to rest on my crotch. Bringing one hand up to my chest, she pushed me backwards. I fell onto the couch and she smiled down at me. In my lusty haze, I smiled back, the hard-on in my pants at the forefront of my mind. Until I looked into her eyes.

Red. They were blood red.

"You smell delicious." Her voice suddenly sounded cold. Fear coursed through me as my mind screamed at me to run, but my body didn't want to respond. "I hope you survive, Jonah. I have a good feeling about you." With speed so fast, I didn't truly see it, she was at my side, tilting my neck to expose it. Her fingers lightly stroked the tender flesh. I tried to move my head back, but she wasn't allowing it. She kept my head firmly in her grip, with one hand, and panic set in. I was about to ask what she was, what she was doing, when I felt an intense pain coursing through my body.

I screamed. I screamed with as much energy as I could possibly release. I screamed until my voice grew hoarse. She moved to lay me down, and I saw it, smeared all over her mouth and cheeks. Blood. My blood. She had sucked my blood. _She was a vampire. _

All these thoughts assaulted my mind swiftly, quickly, and I had a hard time processing them. I felt a prick, welcome after the pain I had just experienced. And suddenly, I felt so weak, so drained. I was tired. As my eyes closed, another shadow appeared. I tried to fight off the urge to rest. He had the same bright red irises, but his hair was dark and short. "Excellent job, Mel. This one is definitely a keeper. I can smell it."

"Lucky you, I fed earlier. Otherwise I don't think I would have been able to stop." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "He's so sweet. Like candy." I didn't know what they were talking about. "Lucky you, you mean. Major would have had your ass," the brunette added.

Another man spoke, this one with a different voice. He was blond, with red eyes that burned with the heat of the sun. "He'll be a good addition. I will continue his transformation process later." His flame-filled eyes looked down at me, and I saw a flash of pain, and regret. And then a wave of lethargy swept over me.

I succumbed to sleep.

When I awoke, I was laying on a table. My neck still ached. I couldn't move. I was strapped to the hard granite, and I struggled uselessly against my bonds. A figure walked towards me. The blond with the fire eyes. He was staring down at me hungrily, and his lips parted slightly, enough for me to see a hint of his bleach white teeth. I had half expected to see fangs protrude from his upper incisors. "This is going to hurt," he warned me. "A lot." His hand rested against my neck and I flinched. Fuck, he was cold. I could feel him inhaling near my skin. I heard him murmur something. It sounded like he was saying, "I'm sorry."

And then he bit down into my flesh.

I remember gasping out in pain, and clutching the edge of the table. He simply stayed there, drinking my blood, and I couldn't help but stare incredulously at the irony. Of all the ways in the world to die, from something as simple as disease to horrific acts like murder behind an alley, I would go out being some vampire's snack. I was starting to feel droopy, weaker, and knew he was almost done. But then he pulled away.

And I screamed, because holy shit, it burned. I could feel the fire licking at my body, but it seemed the flames were only on the inside. I felt like my body was twisting and turning, despite the fact that I was still tied to the table, completely immobile. It was like being stabbed in multiple places, and then having those wounds set on fire. Something was shoved into my mouth, muffling the sounds of my agony. After realizing no one helpful could hear me, I stopped screaming. I stopped caring. I knew what I was becoming. I knew what he'd done to me. A vampire. He was changing me into a cold-blooded killer.

I started to ignore the pain. Through focusing on my memories, I could isolate the pain in my arms and legs and push it away. I thought about Aunt Caroline, and Harold and Shawn. About Annabelle, and my mother, Crystal. My father, the drunken bastard.

I couldn't help but wonder what had gone wrong for him. What had caused him to become so violent, so mean. Caroline had once said they'd grown up as any other child. They were beaten, yes, but only for punishments. Their mother and father had loved them both. There was never any indication of abuse, as far as she could tell.

I wanted to believe her. But I didn't.

People had turned a blind eye to the suffering in my own home. No one had known my father was as cruel as he was; he'd seemed like a good man, polite enough, charming, always courteous. People noticed what they wanted to. It wasn't that hard to see how she wouldn't have, if it had happened at all.

The burning went straight from my limbs, to my heart. It was like being zapped by bolts of electricity every time a drum was beat. With every thump of my heart, the pain in my chest intensified. It got to the point where a simple beat awarded me unbearable pain.

And then, it stopped beating at all.

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><p>Everything was so clear.<p>

It was like someone had taken a magnifying glass and placed two smaller version over my eyes. Unfortunately, it was also dark. No light, no windows. I saw a door. I was about to reach for it when I heard a voice. "I wouldn't do that." I turned, looking to my right to find the blond vampire staring at me. His eyes glowed bright red, a vibrant color in contrast to the pale skin.

"Who are you," I demanded. I took a moment to marvel at my voice. It was strong, and deep, but not overly so. "My name is Jasper Whitlock. This is my land. And you are one of many employed in my service." I scoffed at his words. "You bit me. I woke up. The end. I'm not in anyone's service, Mr. Whitlock."

I suddenly felt a longing to stay here, to help him. I knew it wasn't natural. My every instinct was screaming at me to stay away from him. There were thousands of scars, some over-lapping others, on his neck, arms. I felt myself shift into a protective stance. "Whatever you're doing, stop."

He raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. You can resist my gift."

My turn to raise an eyebrow. "Gift?"

He shrugged as he walked to the door. "Ability. Talent. Some immortals, like myself, have an ability they can or do exhibit. Mine is empathy. I can sense, and or change, your emotions." Even more dangerous. He could sense disloyalty, anger, fear. "Yet somehow, you resist it." Well, yippee-kay-ay for me. "You have an ability of your own, I believe. Eleazar?"

A man showed up instantly in the now opened door. He had dark hair, brown I assumed. But his eyes. Unlike the red I had seen so far, they were a deep gold. "Jasper?" Guess they were on a first name basis.

"I have a funny feeling this is one vampire that will appreciate your...," he trailed off, wrinkling his nose. "Dietary choices better than my own." With that said, he was up and out before I could question him further. The man I knew as Eleazar chuckled. "Come, newborn." I quirked an eyebrow. Newborn?

"You are new to this way of life," he explained with a smirk. "Among our kind, those new are called newborns. But, anyway, follow me." He was a blur as he moved away, and strangely, my body knew what to do better than my mind. My legs acted of their own accord and followed him, keeping up with his speed. I could feel the urge to go faster, but I didn't. I was only following him, not racing.

"Here," he said in a hushed tone, his gaze focused on the east. I looked the same direction. Grazing the grass, unsuspecting and vulnerable, the deer rested. I felt my throat burn, like I had just swallowed an open flame. "I drink from animals, instead of humans. It is difficult, but not impossible. If you wish to do the same, go ahead."

I didn't respond. I bounded forward and grabbed one. She kicked at me frantically; one hit me in the leg. If I'd been human, she would have broken it. As it was, it felt like a light tap. My hunger took over. I snapped her neck and sank my teeth into her flank. Hot blood seeped into my waiting mouth. It was disgusting, but only my mind registered the taste. It seemed to appease the flames. I caught up to the other doe and repeated the process.

Eleazar stayed close behind, causing my to war with my instincts. Part of me wanted to warn him, to growl; another just wanted to drink and end the burning ache.

Thirst won out. I continued to drink, finding one more deer before I felt I'd had enough. Eleazar placed a hand on my shoulder as I dropped the empty carcass. "Would you mind if I escorted you back?" His politeness shocked me. I'm sure Jasper would have simply forced me back. "I'm afraid I'm not as callous as Jasper Whitlock. So forcing you back is not an option I would consider. But, never-mind that. Walk with me."

I fell into step beside him as we headed back. "The thing with abilities, is that they can be the same, but different. Just like every cake has a different flavor. Yet, it is still just a cake. You have the ability to project images into other's minds. I'd go so far as to say you might even be able to project your thoughts, given some practice. I've only met one other woman with this ability. But, like I mentioned about cakes, her own gift works differently. She can project the image without touching you. But you must have contact to show another."

I turned to look at him. "How do you know this? How can you tell?" He smiled. "I have a gift of my own, which would be sensing other's gifts. It's an amusing talent, I can say that much." I nodded. "There is also the matter of the Volturi." I was about to open my mouth to ask, when he held up a hand, smiling. "I was getting to it. The Volturi are considered royalty to all immortals. They have only one goal. Keeping our existence a secret. No humans have ever been allowed to discover this secret and live. If you at any point reveal this secret, you're as good as dead." I shivered. "Fire is our weakness. I'll never understand it, but apparently the venom within us is quite flammable."

I couldn't believe I was walking into this practically blind. "Tell me more."

"Venom is what runs through us. Instead of blood, we have venom. Venom is how you were turned." My eyes caught the sight of a buck nearby. Suddenly, a flash of blond took him down. "Ah. Melanie." The dislike was easy to spot in his voice. "You don't like her, do you." He shook his head. "She plays mind games. She likes to chase after boys and then leave them damaged. Human boys. And if they come back looking for her, she reveals what she is to them." I stared at him. How was she not dead yet? "And then she kills them."

Oh. Well, that explains a lot. But not why I was a vampire. "But she saw me. She exposed herself to me, and I was changed." He nodded. "Jasper is looking for gifted vampires. I sensed your gift while you were human. She was supposed to do that."

Eleazar taught me more about being immortal, about hunting, and about relationships. He didn't approve of Melanie, that much was obvious. Jasper taught me about fighting. He once praised me, saying I was the best fighter he'd seen so far. And Melanie wanted me. That was obvious too. She would dress up in short dresses and pull her skirts up just to come get me for a fighting lesson. It was unnerving. And really strange. Until the day she kissed me.

After that, we were inseperable. We were mates. She loved me, and I loved her. We hunted together, walked together, even fought together, side-by-side. And then, everything came crashing down. She was wearing the same green dress as the first time I'd met her. I lightly kissed her lips, saving this image in my memory, wanting to remember every moment I spent with her.

And then I found her fucking a newborn brought in. Jason. I confronted her. She spat out vicious words._ We were never mates. You're boring, Jonah. I want a real man. You're nothing more than a boy._ I wanted to rip her limb from limb. But I didn't have to. Jasper saw how heart-broken I looked. And he did it himself.

I vowed to never fall in love again. But I could never forget my last kiss with her. Being immortal had it's downfalls. Eleazar had never mentioned how to live with a broken heart.

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><p><em>Man, guys, I'm really sorry for abandoning this like that. I'm halfway done with the next chapter, so hopefully inspiration hits again. I know, the ending was crappy. But hopefully it explains why Jonah isn't happy to talk about Melanie. Next up, mystery chapter person number two! <em>

_Anyways, sorry again, though I know sorry doesn't really suffice. I'd love to hear what you thought about Jonah's short part. Hopefully I can do this again. It was kinda fun to write from his POV. Anyways, see ya! xox_

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	23. Chapter 21: Queen of Hearts

_Hola, everyone. This chapter came faster than I thought. And it's actually the longest I've ever written. Hooray, hehe :] After this, Bella is back, and she's definitely kicking. But for now, let us welcome Alyssa :] Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. You guys help me feel the love with all your support and feedback. I couldn't do this without you. _

_Reviewers, anonymous or not, your names will be posted in the ending AN._

**Warned:** Vulgar language, BDSM references, some sexism, [eventual] lemons, dark/mature topics, and much much more makes this rated M.

**_Big round of applause for Melby, who beta'd this despite her tight schedule. You rock, chica ;]_**

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 21 - Queen of Hearts

I was born, on October 31, during a lunar eclipse, and a meteor shower.

The year of my birth, a prophecy was made about a child filled with magic. They would be powerful, unrivaled by anyone or anything. Born under a shadowed moon, during a shower of rock, when the veil between the living and dead was weakened. But it never said what happened to the child after that. It never mentioned that this same child would kill it's parents upon it's birth. It never mentioned it at all.

I lived with Christine and James. Godparents. Hell, they couldn't even take care of themselves, let alone a little girl. How my mother ever thought they were fit to parent a child I would never understand. The house was always a mess. Beer cans and stubbed out cigarettes littered the floors and tables. The couch was broken. There were bugs crawling out of the walls sometimes. The door didn't really have a lock; it was just a simple doorknob lock, nothing that could keep out burglars or thieves. Lucky for me we never had any. We had nothing to steal, anyway.

Food was hard to come by. Christine didn't always seem to remember that they had three people in the house, not just two. Most of the time she didn't even want to acknowledge me. I was a burden, an unwelcome guest in their lives. She would pick up another 6-pack and some cigarettes and throw a breakfast bar from the gas station at me. Lucky Charms. I learned to salvage whatever food necessary. Quite a lesson at 5 years old.

Christine was blond, and tanned, with light blue eyes that looked like ice. She didn't like me. And she made it no secret. Her nose would wrinkle whenever I was near her, whenever I touched her. It was obvious, so I avoided her unless it was absolutely necessary to be around her. She worked as a waitress at Ricks Saloon and Diner, so luckily, I didn't have to be around her often. James had short dark brown hair, a contrast to Christine's long yellow locks. His eyes were the same ice blue, but he was paler, un-tanned. He refused to stay out in the heat just to match his girlfriend.

When I was 6, my magic re-activated. I don't know how or why it happened, but it did. Christine had forgotten to get me food. She had picked up a pack of cigarettes, no beer, but no food. I had gotten angry. The lights started flickering. Winds started blowing. And me, well, I had been glowing. Actually glowing. She had cowered against the wall with James until I spied a Rice Crispy treat, unopened thankfully, on the floor. The magic stopped and I toddled over to get it, munching happily while they ran out of the house. I didn't care that I had scared them. Half the time they scared me. Their lack of hygiene and constant beer breath had been appalling.

They came back the next day excited about something. Suddenly they treated me better. I got whole meals instead of granola bars or beef jerky. All I had to do was use magic for them. I didn't really know how to do it, but it always had the desired effect. I could unlock doors or make things disappear. They worshipped me, and I happily accepted it.

Until things started going bad. Something would go missing, and I would be blamed. A hair brush. A shirt. A hat. It would get lost, and they would confront me, yelling at me to bring it back. I had no real control over my magic, but they thought I did, and in conclusion, they believed I was responsible for when they lost their own stuff. I knew I had a relative who wanted to gain custody of me. My grandmother on my mother's side. I didn't know how I knew that, but I did. I felt some sort of pull to her, too. It was weird. I didn't know her, but I would rather live with a stranger than with those two idiots. Like I said, they could barely take care of themselves. At least I could manage that task.

The next day, Christine told me I needed to unlock something for them. The safe in the office of the manager of the building. I tried, but I couldn't. No matter how close I got to it, how much I willed it to open, it wouldn't. She thought I wasn't trying hard enough. They stopped feeding me. Started hiding the food so I couldn't find it. My magic wasn't doing what I wanted it to, and it aggravated me. I tried to tell them it wasn't working. They believed it was my fault. And so, I continued to starve.

My grandmother came for me two days later. She had taken full custody of me. Christine and James weren't happy. They wanted to keep me, although why I don't understand. They didn't even like me. All they wanted was my powers. But it had been that same day that I discovered my grandmother had more to her than what met the eye.

_"She isn't going anywhere with you, lady," James sneered. Christine stood close by, hands on her hips. "We're her godparents. Jeanine left her in our care, due to her untimely death." She looked at me. "Besides," she lied. "She starts school next week." I'd never been to school a day in my life. They'd never taken me. After asking the first time, and being told it was too much of a hassle, I didn't bother asking again. _

_My stomach hurt like hell. I hadn't eaten in four days. My grandmother turned to look at me. I felt that weird feeling again, that feeling like magic was being used. "You are both despicable." Her tone was angry and disapproving. "You would starve a child just to force her to use her abilities?" James eyes widened. Christine stepped back. "You know? About her freak powers?" Freak powers. They had called it that before. "Of course I know," she chided. "She gets it from my side of the family." She smiled down at me. I felt warm, like I had just stepped into a nice bubble bath. My stomach no longer hurt. _

_"You can do it too." His tone was strange, like he was considering something. My grandmother ignored him and picked me up. "Hello, little one. I'm your grandmother. You can call me Grams." Her smile was infectious. I found myself smiling back. "Let's go home, shall we?" I heard a click. "You're not going anywhere, lady. Neither is she." In James hands was a rifle. And it was aimed at Grams. _

_He gave her a grin. "You're going to help us get some money. And then you're going to help us find a new place to live. With Alyssa." He had never pulled out a gun before, and I was scared. He was going to shoot the only person who could help me. My family. Grams scoffed. "Oh, please. Spare me." She snapped her fingers. Even if you didn't blink, you would have missed it. One minute the gun was there. With a pop, his hands were empty. "A bully and a whore, no less. You would think you'd be a little smarter than to pull a gun on me, Mr. Philips." She looked at Christine. "You're doing this for her, am I correct? She doesn't love you. She stays here because the bills are in your name. She wants the money to start a new life, with someone from her job." _

_Christine's cheeks turned pink. "Baby, don't listen to her, I-" He didn't give her a chance to explain. "It's that David dick, isn't it? I fucking knew it!" He was angry. He reached towards her and shoved her against the wall. I could almost hear him, screaming, "I'm going to kill this bitch!" But his mouth wasn't open. I didn't really focus on that, though. I just knew I didn't want him to kill her. "No." As soon as the word left my mouth, he flew away from her. His head hit the wall. He was out cold. _

_Christine stared at me in astonishment. "We'll be leaving now," Grams announced. She walked through the hallway, out the door, with me in her arms. _

Living with Grams, I learned more about myself. Like, for one thing, I was supposed to be the most powerful Magi in history. Oh, and I was supposed to do great things with my gifts. No pressure, huh?

Grams taught me everything she knew. Which was, thankfully, a lot. She taught me how to start a fire without words. How to make liquid conduits to focus my magic. How to read minds without others sensing your presence. How to speak gimaalc, the language of spells. I learned how to control one gift, called mind-melding. When you extracted information from the person's mind willingly. I couldn't really control the others, like my telekinesis. Or my other psychic abilities. But I was working on it.

Other kids could tell how different I was. I didn't know how. School eventually got in the way of learning to use my powers, and Grams decided to take me out. Of course, my begging and pleading with her to just focus on my magic could have been a factor too. I hated it there. Even the teachers seemed to hate me. One man in particular stared at me a lot, and it was creepy.

Two days after the anniversary of Mom's birthday, Grams told me we were moving. She had gotten a job out at a ranch and was taking me with her. I just went with it. Of course, I hadn't expected to meet my first vampire. Or almost get eaten my first day there.

_"Alyssa, meet Jasper Whitlock." He smiled at me, and I felt like I was expected to just swoon. He was actually kind of good-looking. Shaggy blond hair, pale skin, a heart shaped face. But his eye unnerved me. They were bright red, but with a hint of orange. Like a fire. I didn't understand why he was expecting me to get some kind of crush on him. Matter fact, I didn't even understand what he was. But I knew Grams would tell me later. _

_"A pleasure." His voice was deep, but not too deep. It had a perfect pitch. "I have a teacher prepared for your homeschooling." I was surprised I was even going to get one. "Are there other kids here?" I had to ask. If I was going to be walking into a room full of kids, I wanted to prepare myself. "No." _

_He turned to Grams. "Mrs. Hartley, I will give you today to get settled. But tomorrow I expect you to begin work." She nodded. He sounded like he was in the army, for gods' sake. "Come on, Alyssa," Grams directed at me with a smile. "Help me put away these boxes. Have you been practicing your telekinesis?" I shrugged. I practiced. It just didn't want to cooperate. _

_"Show me." I nodded and focused on the box holding the books. It floated up and moved to the side of the room, next to the bookshelf. "Remove the books from the box." This one required some real concentration. The box opened. Three books floated out and assembled themselves on the lowest shelf. Another three did the same. Finally I stopped. "There has to be another way to do this. Can you teach me more spells?" _

_She smiled. "Just like your mother. Always eager to learn more." Her attention turned to the boxes. "You can unpack things easily if you say the right words. You just wipe your hand the box and say," she swiped a hand over it, "lacpe hetse githns hewer yeth lebnog." Everything inside began to unpack itself. The books even placed themselves on the shelf. "Whoa." I was impressed. That was a new one. _

_After unpacking everything - I was pretty good at this new spell - I mentioned Grams new employer. "He isn't human, Grams. I could feel it." I could tell when things were human or not. I knew there was a whole world of magical beings out there, but so far I'd never actually met one. She was chopping vegetables in the kitchen. _

_"You're right. Mr. Whitlock is a vampire." If I'd had a drink in my mouth, I would have spit it out. "A vampire? Um, don't vampires drink, you know, blood?" Which was exactly what me and Grams were filled with. She chuckled. "They do, but I am employed. Mr. Whitlock has ordered that you and I are off limits as snacks." I didn't roll my eyes, cause that would definitely piss Grams off. "How do you know he'll keep his promise? What if he decides to let them have free range?" _

_She shook her head. "He won't. I'm one of several of his "human" workers," she made air-quotes over the word 'human'. "And the last time an immortal killed an employee, the person was killed themself." I liked that Grams didn't spare me the truth just because of violence. I could only imagine how annoying that would be. _

_"I'm going for a walk," I announced, before slipping my feet into my sandals. I grabbed a light jacket from the hook by the door. I wanted an extra layer. "Don't go too far," she said. "And stay away from the big house nearby. We are only allowed to go there during the day, or for emergencies." I nodded. I wasn't going to go too close to the house. Knowing they drank blood, I wasn't going to exactly throw myself at them. _

_I wrenched the door open, shutting it behind me. My hand stuffed themselves in my jacket pockets. The neon blue fabric seemed to glow with the moonlight. I walked my way down a hill, into the woods. There were stables nearby. I didn't understand why he kept horses. Unless he ate them. _

_A cool breeze blew, rustling the leaves of a tree. There was a stream nearby. It reflected the moon and stars beautifully. I could hear the horses nickering from heir stalls. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I felt a presence behind me and turned; in the palm of my right hand, I made a glowing blue fireball. Standing under the tree, a man with porcelain skin and dark gold eyes stared at me with a smile. His mop of black hair hung on his head, a strand dipping onto his forehead. His eyes were like frozen honey. They were so bright. _

_"Hi," he spoke. Unlike with Jasper, this man did something to me. I didn't understand the attraction I felt. I didn't even know his name. "I'm Jonah." Jonah. Pretty name. "Alyssa," I said before I could stop myself. This was insane. He was a vampire. He was old. Really old. He'd lived decades, centuries even. I had no business establishing a bond with this man. "Pleasure to meet you," he said with a smile. I nodded. I needed to leave. Now. I had a bad feeling something was going to happen. _

_"I need to go," I blurted out. He quirked an eyebrow. "Okay. I'll see you later," he said, turning to the tree. In a second, he was in the branches, holes in the trunk where his fingers had been. _

_I walked back the way I came, towards our new home. "Mmhmm," someone hissed. I froze. Shit. "You smell good." Her voice was nasally. I turned. She was a red-head, like me. Her eyes, unfortunately, matched her hair. She was wearing some kind of dress, but it looked way too short for her. Her eyes narrowed. She pounced. I went into defense mode. My hands acted of their own accord and flicked forward, knocking her on her ass. "What the-" she sputtered, spitting on dirt. "How in the hell did you do that?" She snarled and shook her head. "Nevermind." _

_She jumped for me again. At the last second she moved to the right, coming at me from a new angle. Something was building inside of me. I didn't what it was, but it felt weird. And cold. "Freeze." _

_She stopped. Everything stopped. I didn't know how I did it, but I had. The little bug flying above me had even froze. Great. I clapped my hands. Nothing happened. I was starting to panic. Clapping had always been the way I undid spells. I clapped again, thinking of summer and the sun and the heat. The tiny bug moved again. Maybe it was time to try something new? I snapped my fingers, summoning a feeling of warmth. She hit me and I fell over, her hands clutching my own. I hadn't been prepared for her tackling me, and hadn't thought to move out of the way. I couldn't use my telekinesis. So, I did the only thing left. I screamed. _

_She flew backwards, landing on the ground with a thud. This time, she didn't get back up. I stood, shaking as I brushed the dirt off of my clothes. I had been attacked by a vampire and lived. Quite a feat, I knew that much. I didn't walk back to the house. I ran. I didn't stop running until I reached the poorly painted door, and slammed it shut behind me as I pushed myself inside. Grams was waiting for me in the living room. "Alyssa? What's wrong?" _

_My lungs hurt. I put a hand to my chest. "I almost got eaten." Her face was a mask of hidden fury. "I will speak with Mr. Whitlock in the morning. Are you alright?" I nodded. I was fine. No injuries, although I'm pretty sure there would be a bruise from where that chick tackled me. "I'm going to bed," I told her before kissing her cheek. "G'night." _

_She nodded. "Night, dear." I climbed the stairs to my room, carefully avoiding tripping over the mass of boxes, and snuggled under the covers. I would unpack the rest tomorrow. Tonight, I just wanted to sleep. _

Jasper hadn't been happy. He said he would talk with her, and that was all he said on the subject. He mentioned to Grams that because I was gifted my blood would smell sweeter to immortals than most humans. Jonah was assigned to be my guard, protector. I began my lessons the same day, after Grams left for work. He walked me down to the house and stayed on the other side of the room while I learned about random things; my teacher, no offense to her, was boring.

I was much more ready to focus on learning more spells. Or better, learning how to control my powers.

Jonah walked me back home afterwards. He stayed outside the house until Grams got there. And for some reason, he smiled at me before he left.

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><p>The day I met Bella Swan, I found her sitting at the bottom of the pool. She was clothed, completely, and her dark hair was billowing out around her. I could see her grin even from where I stood. When she saw me, she swam up, her clothes soaked as she pulled herself out of the water. I smiled at her. She breathed in, and I felt her tense.<p>

My scent. Right. For a second, I had forgotten I smelled good to everyone. She was a blur as she disappeared from in front of me.

She intrigued me. I felt a pull towards her, different from the one with Jonah, but strong still the same. Her eyes weren't the same blood red like everyone else. Even Jasper had different colored eyes. But everyone else had the same old blood red. Except Jonah. He had gold.

I was getting a weird feeling from Zak. I knew she didn't like me. She seemed to shy away from me whenever I was near, and I kept feeling something around her. Despair. Sorrow. Anger. And the tiniest hint of helplessness.

I saw Bella again the next day. "Hi. I remember you. I saw you swimming in the pool." She nodded. I felt somewhat nervous. I hadn't really held any conversations with many vampires. Most of them avoided me like the plague. "You looked happy down there. My grandma says that whatever you're happy doing is what you should keep doing." I was babbling. I needed to reign this in. "You should keep swimming. I like swimming." I was spewing verbal diarrhea. Officially speaking, I was an idiot. "We should swim together sometime. It'll be fun." She didn't respond, but she was watching me. "Swimming like a mermaid is fun. You just put your legs together and move them as one." Why was I telling her this? I don't think she really cared. But for some reason, I had the feeling she was actually listening. "I wish I could swim with my clothes on. But my grandma would throw a fit." She smiled.

_Jasper_. I sensed him a second before he entered. "Miss Alyssa." He stood in the doorway, hands pushed into his pockets. "Could me and Miss Isabella have a moment, please?" I need to discuss some things with this one. It wasn't my place to interfere in his conversations. "Yes, sir. Goodbye, Miss Isabella."

I was expected to be polite and courteous whenever Jasper was around. And quite frankly, he scared me.

I could feel Bella wanted to correct him, when I called her Isabella. She hated it when people called her that. And I didn't have the thought to call her Bella. That would alert him to which gift I had. Jasper knew I was gifted. He just didn't know with what. And he didn't need to.

Jonah was waiting for me outside. "Wanna climb a tree?" I shrugged. I had known Jonah for a good year and a half now. He liked climbing trees and watching Disney movies. I just went with it. I grabbed his hand and showed him a picture of a red flower I had seen yesterday. He smiled. Since moving here, I had learned how to replicate other gifts. I could copy Jonah's gift, Alice's, even Edward's.

It was funny that the Cullen clan liked my company. Alice liked taking me shopping, which I had absolutely no qualms about. Edward kind of freaked me out at times, with all the one-sided conversations, but he was fun to be around. Sometimes. Emmett loved me, as did Rosalie. I knew her tough girl act was just a front. She was sad inside. So I busied myself with making her feel better whenever she was around me.

I could also block their gifts. Jasper wasn't the only one who could send out emotions and receive them too. I could do it, I just didn't do it often. But I kept him from doing it to me. Edward tried to read my mind, but I wasn't having it. If he wanted to know something, he could ask me. Just like I would ask him. And Alice, well. I didn't need my future watched. I was okay. If something was going to happen, all I had to was pull her gift out and look for myself.

We hopped from tree to tree, finally landing on the ground. A squirrel spied us and scurried back up to his home. Jonah pointed to the right, and I stared at the brush until I finally saw the grazing doe. "Wanna see how to take down a bear?" I nodded. I knew at some point, I would become a vampire. I had seen that much, in my future. Or rather, Alice had. I had just hitched onto the vision.

In less than a second, Jonah had tackled the deer and snapped her neck. "And voila," he said. "Not a drop on me. Of course then again, bears struggle more. And mountain lions. They definitely struggle more." He sank his teeth in the doe, draining her dry while I watched, fascinated. Afer he buried the carcass, which I thought was pretty smart, we jumped from tree to tree.

I could feel impatience, and look down towards the house. Jasper was looking straight ahead into the woods. I took it he was waiting for us. I placed a hand on Jonah's arm and replicated the image. He nodded. In one swift move, he had me in his arms, and we were leaping, faster than before. We finally hit the ground. I assumed he had jumped. It took slightly longer to climb his way down, especially with me in his arms. Usually he just threw me over his shoulder.

"Miss Alyssa," Jasper said as we both tried to walk into the house. "A word." Jonah sent me an image of him, waiting at the end of the hall.

I nodded. He went inside, while I approached Jasper. I could feel anger. Ooh. Not good. I crept closer. He breathed in deeply, and then huffed. "Do you have any idea, the kind of danger you put yourself in yesterday?" Oh, boy. Here we go. He was angry about the wandering in the woods alone thing. But in my defense, I was looking for some herbs.

"I was looking for something." He quirked an eyebrow. "Some herbs." His stance screamed impatience. "For tea," I offered lamely. It wasn't the truth, but as close to it as I could get. He couldn't read me, so he didn't know I was lying. At least, my emotions wouldn't be giving me away.

"Your heart sped up." No. You're not figuring me out that easy.

"You practically scream angry. And you're a vampire," I pointed out. Not that he needed that particular observation. "You freak me out all the time." He nodded. I could tell he wasn't satisfied with the answer, but it was all I could make-up on short notice. I needed to become a better liar. "Fine. I'll let you off this time." A rush of relief went through me. Thank god. "Remember the rules. Stay with Jonah. Even if he's not around, don't wander anywhere by yourself. Take Isabella if you have to."

I didn't tell him she hated being called that. I just nodded. He swiftly walked away, my eyes having a hard time focusing on his form. I sighed and walked inside. Jonah met me at the hall. I knew he wasn't going to talk in front of Bella. He was weird that way. He didn't fully trust her, so he wasn't going to talk around her. Yet. I could feel that yet, siting there. He would eventually. Just not now.

We got to Bella's room after passing a million other doors. She was siting on the bed, facing the window. I flopped onto the bed, bouncing it a little. "Hi, Miss Isabella." I laid back. Jonah sat down on the floor. She smiled at me and nodded. "Hello, Miss Alyssa. How was your walk?" I shrugged. "It was fun. I saw a squirrel and some deer and Jonah showed me how to kill a bear without getting blood all over me. Then we climbed trees until Jasper said to come inside."

Her brow furrowed. "Who is Jasper?" Oh, right. "You know him as the Major." I relaxed into the pillows, sighing at the softness.

Bella looked up at the ceiling. She was stared at it. I tugged on her shirt sleeve. "Miss Bella?" I asked. Her eyes flew to my own. Oops. She hadn't told me that yet. Jonah and Bella suddenly both looked up. She left, leaving me alone with Mr. Mute. "I'm going to go Oliver and Company." He stood and walked, slowly-ish, towards his room. I sighed and followed him. He was lucky I liked that movie.

More magic practice. Apparently, I had to learn more than mind-melding and projecting. I had telekinesis down, definitely. A year and a half was more than enough time for me to learn how to control that. Sometimes I liked to lift Jonah and toss him out of the trees. But only sometimes. Grams tapped the table, interrupting my inner-monologue. "Have you been practicing teleportation? Or your freezing abilities?"

I huffed and slumped in my seat. Don't get me wrong, I loved learning more about my magic. But I hated when Grams went all teacher-y on me. "A little." She pointed to the plant in the corner. "See if you can teleport that into my hand." On cue, she opened her hand and placed it in a position like someone was giving her something.

I had to focus. Really focus. I scrunched my eyes shut and thought about the two images together, the plant, and then the plant in Grams hand. I heard a crash and opened my eyes. The smashed pot was laying in front of Grams, the plant still upright, and dirt spilled on the floor. She sighed and snapped her fingers. A broom and dustpan began to sweep up the soil and pot pieces. She picked up the remains of the plant. "Keep practicing. That was two inches away from my hand. You did good." I nodded.

A few days later, Bella was sitting in her room. I plopped onto her bed and smiled at her. I was feeling cheerful today. "Did you know that spiders have two different body sections? The front is the cephalothorax, and the back is the abdomen. That's where the web comes from." She eyed me. "And you know this, how?" I couldn't help but giggle at her question. "School, silly." I sound weird. "Jasper said I'm home-schooled. He said I'm lucky, because if I went to regular school like the other kids I wouldn't get to learn such cool things." Jasper said I'm home-schooled? No. Why did I phrase that like that? Oh god, it was that plant I ate. Stupid phypa root. "But sometimes I wish I did. Then I would have other kids to hang out with." At least, I wished I could go to a school for gifted kids. Kids like me, who were special. Who actually liked me and didn't find me weird. "But I love spiders. They're cute. And they're really good predators."

Well that was at least the truth. I did like spiders. They were cute. I found 'em all over the place.

"They're actually pretty cute. but they're nothing compared to puppies." When did the conversation turn to animals? "Or dogs. I want a dog. I would name him Skittles." Why am I still talking? "If it was a girl I would name her Lady though." Someone stop me. "I like the name Lady for a girl dog." It's like someone else is controlling my mouth. "Like in Lady and the Tramp." Kill. Me. Now. "There's this thing going down in Colorado. I wish I could go. Jasper's the only one going though. And he's leaving tomorrow."

She snapped back into realty. "Who?" I glared at her, but there was some relief, that she hadn't actually listened to my ramblings. "Jasper. He's leaving tomorrow." She looked surprised. Which wasn't a surprise. Jasper rarely communicated where he went to anyone half the time. I just knew cause of those random feeling I got. "Who's gonna be in charge while he's gone?"

My nose scrunched up. "Lyra." Even her name sounded sour in my mouth. "I don't like her. She always looks at me like I'm something to eat." granted, I was, but that wasn't the point. No one else dared touch me for fear of Jasper. Lyra thought she was special because she could beat him in a fight. She annoyed me almost as much as Nikki.

"Don't worry. Lyra won't harm you. I wouldn't let her if she tried." I was glad she wasn't going to just let Lyra eat me. I nodded. "He's going to Denver, Colorado. I don't know why." It was a half-truth. I knew why, I just didn't know the details. Jasper would be extra angry if I told everybody his business. "I can't any bad feeling off of him though, so that means it's not something dangerous." That was the truth.

I could feel relief from Bella. She liked him. She didn't realize it, but deep down she wanted him, in more ways than one. _A party would be fun. Lyra might even agree to it._ I gasped out loud, not thinking before I blurted out the words. "Bella! You can't! You'll get in so much trouble!" Jasper would be pissed if they had a party here.

She turned to stare at me, confusion evident. "I can't what?" She questioned. Oops. Might as well finish the thought. "Throw a party," I explained, ignoring the surprise in her eyes. "Jasper will come back and people could be killed."

She nodded, confirming what I already knew. "Don't worry, no one will get hurt, I promise." I would just influence him not to be angry if they got caught. I didn't want anything to happen to Bella. I liked her. Finding out before leaving was a completely different story, however. I couldn't stop the anger if that happened. I sighed. "Okay, but if he finds out before he leaves, don't come crying to me."

My favorite body-guard knocked on the door. "Party? I'm in." Guess him and Bella had gotten past the no-talking phase. "We need a good blast around here." She smiled at him.

Something flashed in the back of my mind. An image of Bella and Jasper, kissing, his hands pulling her closer to him as her fingers went into his hair. I smiled. I knew they would be together. Telling them could ruin the future. But maybe I could give them a helping hand.

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><p><em>Next stop, Bella, and her appearance with the Volturi. Reviewers get a preview to the next chapter. Just because you're all awesome :] What do you guys think will happen? As always, I'd love to hear what you think. Leave me some love, peoples! xox<em>

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	24. Chapter 22: Significance

_Hey, everyone. Sorry for the late update. I think I'm losing inspiration. Fear not. I'll finish this story. We are getting closer to the end though. About three more chapters of Bella, and one of Jasper, and then we're done, I think. Don't know. My muse isn't visiting me as often as she should be these days. Anyways, thanks to all my readers and reviewers. If it wasn't for you, I would have given up on this a while back. You guys rock._

_Reviewers, anonymous or not, your names will be posted in the ending AN._

**Warned:** Vulgar language, BDSM references, some sexism, [eventual] lemons, dark/mature topics, and much much more makes this rated M.

**_Much thanks to Melby, whose determination helped me to drag this chapter out from under the coffee table._**

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 22 - Significance

I walked further in, despite my obvious instinct screaming at me to leave as quickly as possible. The walls were dark green, with golden rugs hung above framed pictures of Italian words. The hallway had several different doors, and I could see a barely concealed staircase that led downwards. The black and white tiled floors were gleaming, as if they'd been shined not to long ago.

"Go." Phil pushed me forward, his face a mask of impatience. I glared at him. Michael moved towards me. "My Masters are looking forward to meeting you, Isabella. They have heard great things." All from you, I'm sure. I started to walk. Michael cleared his throat. "She stays here." While some part of me wanted to protest, I knew it would be a bad idea to take a small, drugged and unconscious girl, into a coven of vampires. I passed her off to Zak, who moved to sit by the doors. Phil looked down at her before turning to me with a smirk.

"Get going, Isabella." I growled under my breath. He would stay behind me, watching my ass every few seconds I was sure. "Fucker," I muttered. I carefully inched forward, cautious as to whether I would be ambushed. Even if the Volturi did want me in one piece, that didn't mean I was completely safe. I wasn't some trusting newborn. I knew the different conclusions this particular story could reach. Michael kept a tight grip on my arm. Please. Where the fuck would I run to? Venice? I would send a postcard. Having a wonderful time. The humans are quite tasty. Wish you were here. It was bad enough Phil had been the one to catch me. Add to that the fact that Zak, who I had blindly allowed myself to trust - seeing as how I obviously don't learn my lessons - was the spy Alice had been referring to, and we had ourselves a lovely little fairytale. I was half expecting a genie to pop out of a lamp from somewhere. Or a fairy, maybe. It wouldn't surprise me if things like fairies were real. Werewolves were definitely alive, that much I knew. Anything else was just common sense.

Michael stopped, his attention caught on two large red doors. No gold, no green. These were a variation from the rest of what I'd seen. I didn't like it.

"This is your stop." He sounded almost bored. Was he always this nonchalant? It was annoying. He was lucky I couldn't rip him limb from limb. I gritted my teeth and pushed the doors slightly, not applying any real pressure. They opened the rest of the way with a low creak, revealing quite the audience. Three men sat in chairs at the head of the room. Standing to the right of them, a crowd of immortals stared at me. No one spoke. It was completely silent.

"Isabella!" one man called cheerily, breaking the awkward silence. He had on a creepy smile. "Welcome to Volterra." His hair was dark brown, and about shoulder-length, brushing against his black suit. He was wearing some kind of pendant on his neck. His skin was white on white, almost like bleached paper, and it reminded of the delicacy of tissue paper. And his eyes were bright red; I imagine he'd recently fed. He was the center of the three chairs, so I took it he was the all powerful leader. Aro.

The man on his right seemed to have some malice towards me. He was blond, with the same almost shoulder-length hair and the same pendant sitting on a chain around his neck. His mouth was turned up in a scowl, and his almost glowing red eyes stayed fixed on me. His counterpart on the far left seemed disinterested with me. The same shoulder-length hair, dark brown and rose red eyes as his companions. "I am Aro," the man from the middle chair spoke. Knew it.

"These are my brothers. Caius," he gestured to the blond, who was watching me with creepily eerie focus, "...and Marcus." The man on the left gave a little wave. I could only blankly stare. "Master," Michael called out, stepping in front of me. "I must warn you, she is not very trained in her abilities. The younger girl, however...," he trailed off suggestively. Aro nodded. "Very well. Bring her forward as well."

Alyssa was out cold. No shield to protect her, and it looked like that big dude in the corner would rip me in half in a fight. "Wait," I stopped them. "I am a quick learner. I can show you what I can do." What the hell can I do again? "You don't have to bring her into this." Marcus was watching me with rapidly growing interest. Everyone was. Shit. What exactly could I do? Maybe I could cause a hail storm in here. Or fire? Could I do fire? I was stuck trying to think of something, anything to display. Reality was, I had only recently learned about my magic. The most I had done was, what? Blow some leaves around? Create a brief thunderstorm? If someone attacked me, I couldn't even guarantee my magic would help.

Aro impatiently tapped his fingers on his throne. "We're waiting, Isabella." I gritted my teeth. Fuck, I wish I had control over this. He sighed loudly. "Felix, remove her, and someone bring in the girl." Something had to happen. Anything. The big guy in the corner stepped forward, grinning. "Fuck." Had I said that out-loud? That was supposed to be in my head. He rushed me, and had my arms behind my back. He was huge. Slightly bigger than Emmett, but same build. I threw my arm up, knocking into his head. He swung to his right, but I moved at the last second. Aro ordered something, but I wasn't paying attention. I step-sided another grab, then flipped over him and kicked him in the back. He merely stumbled a few steps forward, but I could see the frenzied anger in his eyes.

Someone else was touching my throat. Felix was trying to rip off my arms. Something hot was coursing through me. It was shooting through my arms and down to my fingertips. I flexed my hand and pushed it backwards. Fire erupted from my palm and shot out towards the person behind me. They moved away with a scream. I directed the other hand at Felix. His grin was gone. I watched as the purple flames spewed at him. He flew back, crashing into a wall. The warmth was still there, and I flexed my fingers again. No big fires. Just a small one. A flame the size of a plastic cup flickered in my fingers. It was still purple, but I could see it changing colors, red and green and blue.

Aro clapped as he smiled down at me. "Wonderful," he said. "Simply wonderful. With a little more practice, you will be starting fires at once. Pyrokinesis is certainly an interesting gift for a vampire." For the moment, that was all I could do. With a little more practice, I would be wielding the elements like a pro. But that wasn't information he needed to know. "You will stay in Volterra, and train with the guard."

"What?" Fuck that. He had to be joking. What would make him think I would stay here, under watch of his crazy ass?

"Unless you would like to see your young friend killed, I would prefer you not argue on this subject, Isabella." Aro was wearing a victorious smile. Caius had on more of a sneer. I raised my hand, still holding the fireball, and aimed it towards him. "And what if I blast my way out? What happens then, Aro?" His expression changed for a split second. Blank, but then a smile graced his lips again. "Then an alarm would be sounded, and the young lady would be killed without hesitation."

Bastard. _"__Ask for a room, Bella. I have a plan."_ I knew that voice. _Alyssa?_ I didn't know how this mind communication thing was working, but I decided to just think and hope for the best.

_"Yep. I saw what happened, with the fire. Nice flames, by the way. Don't worry. We'll get out of here. But first, let me teach you a few things about your magic, okay?"_ I could sense the words were in another language, but my brain had no trouble translating them. I cleared my throat. "I want time to think about this." Felix was getting up, and grumbling as he did so. I almost felt bad. Almost. "Could I possibly stay in a room?" Aro nodded, the glee evident on his face. He thought everything was going his way. Sucker.

"Of course. Felix, show Isabella to a guest room." Alyssa wasn't silent in my head. _"Ask__ them to let me stay in the room with you. Tell them to drug me, if you have to."_ Weirdest. Kid. Ever. But she said she had a plan. And that was a hell of a lot better than anything I had right now. "I want Alyssa to stay with me." Aro raised an eyebrow. "A room without windows then, Felix," he sighed. Well. That was easier than I thought.

Three seconds later, I was standing in a window-less room, with Alyssa laying on the giant king-sized bed. If all hotel rooms looked like this, people would want to live in them. _"Alright, I want you to do something. Say, knawae."_ She was obviously better at this stuff than I was. "_Knawae_," I muttered. A bright blue glow flew from my hand to Alyssa. After a second, the glow faded. She sat up quickly, looking around the room before a hand flew to her head. "Ow," she groaned. "Man, I hate it when that happens." She looked towards me. "Okay. Magic lessons time."

She closed her eyes and muttered something too quick for me to catch. A red haze surrounded the room. "A silencer. In case someone is trying to listen in." I nodded. She was good. "Okay, so, how much do you know about your powers?" I snorted. Absolutely nothing. "I know I can control elements. That's about it." She shook her head. "Well, first off, your magic is an extension of you. Your anger, fear, sadness, happiness, they all come out through your magic. If you're angry enough, you can do some crazy things. I've never seen what being sad would do, but fear stifles your magic. It makes it uncontrollable. When you're happy, you can do things without meaning to, sometimes." Made sense. After the way I knocked Phil onto his ass, my anger must have come out full-force.

"With each element, comes certain traits." She snapped her fingers. In a flash of blue light, a tiny plant appeared. It looked like it was only days old. "Earth is an extension of your strength, and courage. Like the earth itself, you can not be easily defeated." She looked up at me. "Try to make it grow. Just put your hand over it and think about the plant." I stood in front of the pot, with my hand hovering over the plant. For some reason, my brain was already counting down how long it took me to do this. I'd hit the 3 second mark. "Nothing's happening," I growled. 6 seconds. Alyssa sighed. 8 seconds. "You can't force it. It'll happen in time. Just concentrate. Think about something."

My mind flashed to a time when I was younger. I had found an arsenal of pie tins and a bucket and had gone outside to make mud pies. I had even found a worm to put into the first batch. I got mud all over the patio, the walls, and myself. I'd been a walking mud-man.

"That's great, Bella!" I looked down. The tiny plant was growing. I watched, fascinated as it turned into a beautiful white flower. "What were you thinking of?" I gave her a grin. "Making mud pies."

She nodded. "Great. Next thing is water."

The plant turned from a beautiful flower into a bucket of water. I looked at her. "Transmogrification. I'll show you it some other time." She looked down at the bucket. "Water is an extension of your creativity, and the ability to adapt to your surroundings. Like water, you have to go with the flow."

She lifted her hand slightly, and droplets floated into the air. As she raised her hand, the rest of the water followed. It swished and sloshed and twisted, making intricate shapes in the air. Finally, she lowered her hand, placing the water back into the bucket. "Think of the sound of the ocean. Or raindrops falling." Raindrops I could do. I thought about the exhilaration I felt when the rain fell from the sky, the way each drop sparkled before it hit the ground. Focusing, I raised my hand and directed it to the right, watching as it followed my direction, and then held itself in mid-air.

"You're better at water than you are at earth. Probably a personality thing." With a snap, the water was back in the bucket. She flicked her hand, and the bucket moved to the wall. "Next is fire. Which should be easy for you." I quirked an eyebrow. "Fire is passion, intensity. Although my grandmother would disagree with what I'm about to say...," she trailed off. "In other words, get angry. But stay in control." I nodded. "Just take a deep breath, and then think about something that upsets you."

She opened her hand and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. A small blue flame flickered to life in her palm. She opened her eyes. I noticed they were the same color blue as the flame. "The trick to it is remembering your victories. If I get really pissed, like rip-a-guys-head-off pissed, the fire goes crazy." The flame shot up in demonstration. She took a breath and the flame went out, snuffed instantly."Your turn."

In a matter of seconds, a giant purple flame erupted in my own hand. She looked up at me in surprise. "That's the fastest I've ever seen it happen." I shrugged. What could I say, I was pissed. I closed my hand into a fist and the flame enveloped it, turning my fist into a fiery hand of justice. I grinned. "Okay, that's just cool." It took some concentration, but I calmed down enough to snuff the flame out. "Finally, the last element you need to master is air. Air is freedom, and peace." I snorted, holding back a chuckle. Freedom? If this was free, I couldn't imagine what being caged was.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But, seriously, you've got to find your peace. It's the only way you'll be able to master it." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Peace. find peace. What was that supposed to mean, anyway? "I know about Phil." My eyes flew open, and locked onto her. I could feel the anger building inside of me, burning, like a well-kept fireplace. "I didn't snoop into your thoughts," she said, before I was able to ask. I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't do it that time, either," she said defensively. "Phil isn't exactly the most quiet person with his thoughts. He was thinking about you, and I didn't block him out in time...," she trailed off. If I could have gotten any whiter, I would have. She knew. She had seen, through his eyes, what had happened.

"You need to find your peace with that." She stared at me, her gaze intense. "It's holding you back. You don't have to forgive him. You shouldn't forgive him. No monster like that deserves forgiveness. But you do need to forgive yourself," she said softly. "You may not blame him, but you blame yourself. I know you do. It's written all over your face." Was I really that easy to read? "You shouldn't blame yourself. Because really, what happened isn't your fault." I know it isn't. So why do I feel like admitting it was wrong? "Because I never thought much about it before now." I blurted the words before I could think to keep it in my head. It had never occurred to me to close that chapter of my life. That portion. I had known Phil was in the wrong. But I had never thought to myself that I wasn't to blame.

"Thanks," I said quietly. She smiled, then wrapped her arms around my waist. "My hugs aren't as good as Jonah's, but they still do the trick." I laughed, because Jonah did give good hugs, as much as I would never admit it to his face.

A breeze began to blow around the room, and I could feel my hair slightly wriggling along with it. "You did it," she said proudly. I grinned. All four elements. And it only took about thirty minutes. Awesome. "There's one more thing we have to do." She smirked at me. "I have to make you invisible." I could only stare at her. "You can do that?" She shrugged. "I can do it as part of my abilities. But you can use a spell." She closed her eyes in concentration, then opened one to look at me. "What's your middle name?"

"Marie." She nodded, and closed her eye again. "_Tiwh hetes rowds, I kema Isabella Marie Swan viiselbni._" I felt a rush of heat flow through me, like stepping into a hot bath during winter, and then I felt the slightest amount of pressure go down my body. "Perfect." I turned to my left, but there was only air. "Alyssa?" I stepped forward, then looked down. I couldn't see anything. I moved my arm forward, but I didn't see anything in front of me. I was invisible.

"This has to be the coolest thing I've ever seen since becoming a vampire," I muttered. Alyssa giggled. "The spell did exactly what I wanted it to. Grandma always says detail everything, but keeping it short and to the point is better, in my opinion." I didn't even say anything. I was too busy focusing on the fact that I couldn't be seen. "Alright, the last thing I have to do is cloak my scent." Whoa, what? "You can do that?"

If she made any body movements, I couldn't see them. "I can copy abilities. Vampire abilities. Emotions, from Jasper, sharing images, from Jonah, cloaking, from Zak, and shielding, from you." I didn't understand how she could copy my ability. It was in my brain, for crying out loud. "How is that even possible? I have a mental ability."

"It doesn't matter if it's mental or physical. I can copy it. You know, if I try." Huh. She would have to show me that one. In the meantime, we needed to skedaddle, and fast. "Ready to leave?" I whispered. "Yep." Suddenly, the mouth-watering apple scent was gone. It was almost like she was gone. _"Alright. Operation Get Outta Here is a go." _Thank god for mind links.

We both walked out of the room, and down the hallway. I could hear Aro's creepy lit from down the hall. "...she is very important, Mr. Whitlock. I would not offer you such a prize without collateral." I had to see what was going on. Alyssa was on the same track. "Jasper's in there." We tip-toed into the room, squeezing through the doors. Rosalie, Emmett, Edward, Alice. And Jasper. The gang was all here. I moved forward, but I felt Alyssa's small hand on my arm. _"Just wait. Let's figure out what's going on, first."_ I couldn't help but sound impatient. _Fine._ I sounded like a petulant child.

I could see Phil, and Zak, standing next to Aro's chair. "I don't plan on leaving without either of them." Jasper was stubborn. Alice was the next to speak. "You didn't just take them to covet their gifts, Aro. Give me some credit. I know you."

Aro chuckled. "You, of all people, Alice, would have learned far too much about me in the few weeks you were here. But, you are right. I didn't just take them because of their gifts. They have immense power, especially the young one." Felix and another man stepped forward, with a few others following from behind. Emmett shielded Rosalie, growling as he did so. Felix smirked. Bastard.

"You didn't truly believe I would allow two powerful beings such as them to compete in your little war, did you?" I couldn't believe this, but I guess I should have expected it. "If I allowed them to be part of your team, well, I would lose before the battle had begun. But then, you knew that, didn't you, Mr. Whitlock." Jasper wasn't even calm, anymore. His eyes were a dangerous shade of red, and I felt like if it was possible for flames to shoot out of his eye sockets, they would have. "Consider this a warning. Disband your army, and I will consider making your death painless."

Jasper snorted. "Please. I'm no violin, Aro. You can't play me. You would have me killed before we left this room, if I didn't consider disbanding it." He had a point. Aro Volturi didn't seem like the kind of man to leave loose ends.

_"I need to talk to Alice. Can you disable the guards?"_ I had to hold back my scoff. It would be easier than drinking from a blood bank. _I'm on it._ In a matter of minutes, I had three men incapacitated. "What?" Aro barked. "What is the meaning of this?" Felix and his buddies looked around with unease. I grabbed one guy and kneed him in the balls, chuckling to myself as he went down. Next was his friends, the guy beside him, and the two behind him.

"Jane," I heard Aro order. Rosalie's scream filled the room. "Show yourself, Isabella!" I didn't know how to reverse this. _"Play along. I'll feed you lines."_ I didn't know what she was up to. _Okay._ She didn't waste any time. "_Viiselbni neoc oyu reew, viiselbni onw oyu rae ont._"

I felt that warmth again, and then a slight pinch in the arm. I could see Jane using her ability on them. I quickly stretched my shield over them, blocking her. "Enough, Aro." He smirked at me. "You've had enough time, Isabella. Decide. Would you rather see your friends suffer? Or would you rather train with my guard?" I gritted my teeth. He really irked me. "Neither," I said, echoing Alyssa. "You can not alter fate, Aro. There will be a new ruler on the throne." He chuckled. "I don't believe there will be."

Alyssa didn't feed me any more lines. I took that to mean I was done. _"You might want to stand back."_ I moved backwards. The entire guard, Felix, Jane, Alec, and all, was pushed out of the room. The doors locked with a loud boom, and a bright red light glazed over them. Alyssa stood up, visible again, facing the thrones. "Hello, Aro Volturi," she said with a smile. "I'm Alyssa. I don't believe we've been properly introduced." He stood, frowning as he did. "You aren't supposed to be awake yet." She rolled her eyes. "You just saw me do that," she gestured to the door, "And you're wondering how I'm awake? I'm disappointed, Aro." He bristled.

"You see, you don't have a choice, but to continue with the war. I saw it happen, and it has to happen from things to work out properly. But, if it makes you feel better, I'll be Switzerland. Neutral. No fighting for me." Jasper turned to look at her, like I did. I was relieved. Despite how kick-butt she was, I was glad she wasn't going to be fighting against a bunch of vampires. Jasper didn't look as happy, however. "But, the battle will continue." She stepped closer, until she was so close to Aro it was scary, and tapped his hand lightly.

She then looked towards Marcus and Caius. "Both of you have a choice. While Aro will die, the two of your fates have not yet been decided. I sincerely hope you choose wisely." Aro looked white. Whiter than usual.

Caius sneered. "We are much better leaders than you could ever hope, child." He said the word 'child' with a severe amount of distaste. "My place is in Volterra, on my throne." Marcus looked solemn. "I will stay by my brother's side. While we are not the best leaders, we are fairly adequate." She nodded. "While that may be true, you have now sealed your fate." She looked towards each of us. "Let's go." She looked towards Zak. "You should come too. I can help, you know. I know exactly where they are. He lied. There's no one guarding them."

Zak was by her side in an instant. "No one is leaving here today," Phil snarled. "I wouldn't do that, Phil," Alyssa said, venom dripping in her voice. "Or I'll be forced to take drastic measures." He leaped. I prepared to tackle him, when I heard the snap of Alyssa's fingers. He froze, in mid-air. His eyes flickered about wildly. "You'll be like that until I reach the ranch. Have fun." She started walking, and we followed, no one arguing that Alyssa was, right now, seriously scary.

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><p>The plane ride home was exactly how it should have been. Filled with questions and answers.<p>

We were all placed in first class, thanks to the Cullen's extensive amount of wealth. They also paid to have every seat in first class bought, if only to fill it so that no one else could join us. We all sat in different aisles, but there was no difference from sitting together. Zak was placed in the row between Alice and Edward, and Rosalie and Emmett. Everyone was itching for an explanation. And even then, despite being the one she traveled with, and was taken prisoner with, I was curious as to the answers I would get myself.

The minute the plane was in the air, Jasper turned to from across the aisle. "Explain." Alyssa stared at him. "I convinced him to let us go, and the battle is still going as planned. Everything is the way it should be. Except I won't be taking part in it."

He sighed, loudly, and I detected a speech coming along. "You hide from all of us, save Isabella, and then get yourself captured, drag Isabella into it as well, have us come to rescue you, only to convince Aro to participate in the upcoming battle." His eyes burned bright. "I need a better explanation than that."

I could feel myself getting angry. Did he not understand she was only a child? A young, albeit powerful, girl? "You can't blame her for every little thing that went wrong," I said with a glare. "She saved us. All of us. Had she not done what she had, we'd all be dead, and she'd be a captive in Volterra." Jasper chuckled humorlessly. "I don't think you understand."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh, then, please. Enlighten me."

He glowered at me. "She's an incredibly powerful human. And when she becomes a vampire, she'll be even more. There's always some power-hungry war-lord who wants to be the one to sire her, to test the ways of memory loss in the transition from human to immortal. I protect her from all of that. I try to, at the very least," he added, giving her the stink-eye once more. I expected her to shrink back.

Instead, to my surprise, she straighten herself, and looked him in the eye, her glare so intense I saw Edward cringe. "And, please, Jasper," she said quietly, but with the appropriate amount of venom. "What would you have had me do? Leave you, Bella, everyone, to die there? Stayed in Volterra with Aro, and allowed him to bite me, to change me, without my consent? Use my gifts and become his own personal assassin? There are several ways this could have turned out. That was one of them. You, Rosalie, Emmett, dead. Alice, me, Edward, and Bella, members of the Volturi guard. Me, a personal assassin, killing anyone in the way of Aro Volturi and his brothers. The upcoming battle is the way to end all of this."

He raised an eyebrow. "Gifts?" She stopped, and looked down. "Yeah," she murmured. "Gifts. As in plural." Oh right. He hadn't known she was multi-talented. "I thought you were only a telekinetic."

She cringed. "I am. I'm naturally a telekinetic, but some of the other things...," she trailed off.

"I can mimic other abilities. Like seeing the future," she looked over at Alice, who sat there, open-mouthed, "...reading minds," her gaze turned to Edward, who was as shocked as Alice, "...a mental shield," she looked straight at Jasper for the last, "...or manipulating and sensing emotions." Jasper couldn't help but stare at her. "I can also block the very same abilities. That why Alice can't see my future, and Edward can't read my mind. And how you can't get into my emotions." More silence.

"You copied Zak's ability. We couldn't smell you." Edward voiced the biggest thing on his mind. She nodded. "I know I'm powerful. Very powerful. And to help you win like that, with an unfair advantage..." She shook her head. "It'd be like cheating."

Jasper growled. "We can afford to cheat. A lot is at stake if we don't win." She shook her head again. "A lot is at stake if you win, too." He huffed, and looked out the window. "We also have to help Zak when we land." This caused everyone to look over at her. "You're kidding, right," Emmett dead-panned. "She's a traitor. She sided with the Volturi, and that monster over us."

"She's as innocent in this as we are," she countered. "Her family is locked away in Kansas, in some cellar near property owned by Hugo Miller. She did this for her family. Phil kidnapped them, and used them a bargaining chip to make her do what he wanted." Jasper gave protest. "It doesn't matter why she did it. She could have asked for help."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Like Bella could have asked for help when I was being kidnapped? Or, do you mean like how she almost stayed with the Volturi just to keep me safe." She had a point. "She's right," I interjected. "You don't ask for help because you don't know what might happen. If he threatened her with her family, just to keep her quiet, then he's planning something big."

Zak was quiet throughout the ordeal. She didn't speak, just sat in her seat, staring out the window. I didn't really know what to say to her. Sorry for thinking you were a sell-out? And almost getting your family killed?

"If you can absorb other abilities, then you have Aro's ability as we speak. You touched him. You have to know what he was thinking."

She nodded. "He was thinking that after he killed you, he would have Chelsea, Felix, Jane, and Alec, go to the ranch and round up all the immortals you recruited. He was thinking of making a new guard. He was also thinking Bella and Alice would make wonderful additions to the Volturi, and that if I matured in enough time, he could give me to Marcus, as a gift."

I wrinkled my nose. I no longer wanted to know what Aro was planning. "Some of his thoughts were focused on getting around Alice's ability, and making split-second decisions. One of them was about disposing of Phil after the battle, and another was about allowing him to have you after the battle," she directed at me. I felt like my snack was making a second appearance. "That was as far as I got." Jasper started pacing, walking back and forth through the aisle.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Alice's eyes glazed over, and she got that far away look. "Shit," she cursed. "Aro has moved it up. The battle is no longer in the fall." She looked up at us, her eyes filled with worry. "It's in five days."

And, cue panic. Jasper began to pace faster, and I worried that he might actually wear a hole into the metal floor. "He's trying to kill us," he muttered. "There's no way we'll be ready in time, by the end of five days. God, we're barely ready in almost three months!"

I stood up, walked in front of him, and cuffed him around the head. I then took a hold of his shoulders and started to shake him. "Pull yourself together, man. We'll be fine. Alyssa will teach me about being all magical and stuff before the big fight, and then we'll kick-ass, same as always." Rose nodded. "I have new heels. Perfect for kicking ass." That was certainly an interesting image, I'd give her that. Jasper nodded, but he didn't move from my grip.

Electricity rocketed through me as he placed a hand on my wrist. I could almost swear I could hear my non-existent heartbeat."You can let go now."

Oh. I moved back, not meeting his questioning eyes. Alyssa frowned, at the same time Alice looked over at Jasper with a frustrated glare. The two of them were a dangerous combination. If they were working together to achieve this whole Jasper-Bella-together-thing, I would have to double my efforts. I would not be attracted to him. How could I be? He was aggravating, annoying, rude. _"He saved your life. He came for you. He battles with his feelings for you almost everyday."_ I glared at Alyssa angrily. _You stay out of my head._ She looked down. _"Sorry."_

The next hour was spent playing every game possible with Emmett. Rock, Paper, Scissors was out. After winning the first hundred and fifty out of two hundred, he demanded I find a new game. Alyssa made a suggestion. "How about Would You Rather?" It seemed like an appropriate game. Emmett nodded approvingly.

"All right, I'll start. Zak?" she called over. She looked up, tearing her eyes from the window. "You want to play, too?" Zak shrugged, and came to sit by us. Jasper growled. Alyssa shook her head. "Okay. Would you rather...eat human food, or walk around naked for a full day."

Alice wrinkled her nose. "Human food. Being naked for an entire day would be embarrassing." Edward nodded. "Food, definitely. I don't want to hear the thoughts I would get if I walked around naked." Rosalie made a disgusted expression. "I'd rather be naked than force human food down my throat. Besides, it's not like the humans wouldn't appreciate it." Emmett shrugged. "Naked. You know no one can resist this body," he said proudly, gesturing to himself. Edward rolled his eyes as Rosalie cuffed him in the back of the head. "Please. You would scare half the boys shitless, and the girls would be passed out from sheer shock." He nodded. "True."

I looked towards them with a grin. "I would definitely be naked. I would walk into a high-school and "scare" the boys to the point of fainting."

Jasper scoffed. "Human food. I wouldn't show myself like that to just anybody." I smirked. "Aren't you the noble man-whore, I mean, gentleman." Everyone stifled laughs. He glared at me, which caused me to grin wider. Zak was last. "I'd eat the food. Being naked for an entire day would be too long." Alyssa nodded.

"Alice, you're next." She had on a thoughtful expression, before choosing her own with a grin. "Boys only. Would you rather kiss another woman? Or go shoe-shopping with a pack of rich teenage shopaholics."

Edward and Emmett blanched. "Shopping," the both said quickly, then cringed. The visions that must have been playing out in their heads were obviously bad. "Kiss another woman." Of course, that came from our resident sex-fiend. I wasn't really surprised. "Wait. I would...go shopping."

The silence that followed was deafening. Alice and I stared at him in shock. Rosalie was giving him a look of disbelief. Edward and Emmett had copied her expression. Alyssa simply smiled. Zak was sort of staring. Jasper cringed slightly, before quickly looking towards Alice. "You all look surprised." Understatement. We were fully shocked. I don't understand why he thought we wouldn't be. But that indicated...

He had a woman. Someone he found intriguing and interesting enough to pursue.

I don't understand why I suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy, but it was there. I instantly had the urge to find this girl and rip her to shreds. It was un-rational, and stupid, and I knew this. I had to tramp down the urge to ask who this girl was. I didn't like him. I didn't feel anything for him. Besides anger and annoyance, he elicited nothing from me.

After telling myself this several times, my brain finally began to wane from it's find-the-girl-and-kill-her plan. Two hours of Would You Rather later, Alyssa was passed out I her seat, curled up with a blanket. Alice and Edward were talking with Zak, who was telling them about her family. Emmett and Rosalie were making out, and we covered their seat with a large blanket, to avoid the horror. Jasper was alone, gazing out the window, and I took this time to bother him.

"Wishing you could fly?" I teased. "Yes." His tone was serious. "I always wanted to be able to fly. Even when I was a little boy. I just wanted to...," he trailed off, eyes hooked to a passing cloud. He looked at me, then back out the window. "...spread my arms and take off." I was shocked beyond words. Mr. Sex-A-Lot had feelings?

"I act the way I do because it's who I am." He was back to talking with me. "I'm not some heartless bastard with nothing to care about. I may be immortal, but I'm not like the Cullens. I like blood. I enjoy the kill. And I don't have sympathy for random people just because they offer me some sob story." He'd never said so many words to me before. I could detect something. A change. Between us. Whatever it was, I wanted it to keep it's strange influence to itself.

Frowning, I was stuck between walking away and being eager to hear more. I went with walking. Much safer.

After reaching finally reaching the United States, we un-boarded from the plane. While we still had to keep up with annoying pretenses, such as walking slowly through the airport while allowing the masses to gawk at us, we were finally able to relax and run after leaving the vicinity. I threw away those awful sandals Phil had bought me before we'd left America. To feel the wind in my hair and the ground under my feet was a luxury.

After reaching the ranch, a shudder went through Alyssa. "Well, he's finally un-frozen," she muttered. We went to her house, where we were met by Jonah and Grams. "Well?" she demanded, after checking Alyssa over. "What happened?" Jonah raised an eye to me, but stayed silent. He was curious to the answer to that question as well.

"Well, we were nearly initiated into Aro's creepy guard." His eyes narrowed. "I learned how to control the elements." Grams smiled. "And there's a battle between the Volturi that we have to fight in five days." There was no initial sound from the two of them. "Five days?" Jonah echoed me. "We haven't even begun to get ready in the three months that we've been preparing. How can we be ready in five days?"

Jasper shook his head. Edward and Alice looked at each other. Rosalie and Emmett stayed silent. And Alyssa simply sighed. "You will be ready. Because now, you have no other choice." She turned to look at me. "There are other abilities, you need to learn how to control. Basic things that every Magi has. Grams and I can help." She gestured between herself and her grandmother.

I nodded. We all had some things we needed to learn. And with the promise of a battle before us, now was no better a time to learn them.

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><p><em>Well, I hope you all liked. Reviewers get a preview to the next chapter.<em> _I'll be back within the week, if I'm lucky. Until then, hugs and kisses! Bye!_

**Reviewers of the Last Chapter: **heatherlynn0226, Mrs. Jim, KittyAsrai, wendy1969, roon0, dramaqueen1917, Tally Jennifer Youngblood, Bripearl, genuinef250, Retro Sk8tr, kouga's older woman, Debbie White, Guest, CentauRita, justxwords, Guest, TwilightAddict71484, JiaRayne, DoodleBug1101, Guest, Nyx Nuit, NatalieLynn, pegasus5406, viciousviolet, ggb-luma, Stiffinme


	25. Chapter 23: Revelations

**Hey guys! I'm back! Yeah, I'm a shit-wad for leaving this story the way I did for so long. Sorry. Two weeks 'til Senior Exams, and graduation, kind of stress a girl out. But, I'm working on managing my time better. Honestly, I am. But yeah. Seriously, I'm really sorry. I know how it feels to just be waiting for the author to continue the damn story. Sooo, without futher ado, I give you the newly written chapter.**

**Dedicated to Charlie, who threatened to take me to prom if I didn't get my shit together [me, prom, make-up and dresses don't mix well, you could say]. **

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><p><strong>Blood, Water, Oil<br>**Chapter 23 - Revelations

We dispersed. Alyssa and Grams needed their rest. Jonah reported that she hadn't gotten much sleep while we were gone - the worry that she felt for her granddaughter over-rode the need for human necessities like food and drink. Only worry, over the safety of one of her own. And me. For some odd reason, whatever it was, she had felt a worry about me. "I know you're an immortal, and seemingly indestructible. But this old heart has enough room for two." Her words were warm and fuzzy. I could feel my heart heating at the simple sentence. They had each retreated into their rooms, the Cullens left to inform Carlisle and Esme, and I was left with Jonah and Jasper. Really, I was left with Jonah. Jasper left to go announce that the battle would be in five days. Thinking about my immortality connected me to that.

Five days. We had five fucking days. Five days for me to learn more about my Magi abilities, five days to be trained in the art of Jasper Kwan Do, and five days to think about my future.

After the battle, I would have no ties. Not here, at least. Grams, Alyssa, Jonah. Surely, they would all come with me. Maybe. I wasn't sure I even wanted them to. I didn't know where the hell I was going. I knew it wouldn't be here.

Jonah and I came upon a crowd of our kind. Several hundred immortals, all gazing watchfully into the eyes of Jasper Whitlock. He was nervous, I could see. His eyes skimmed the large, and still growing, gathering of immortals. I was surprised to see so many. Hundreds of people, all converging upon one spot to hear the words of a man who may or may not have been their reason for being here in the first place. It was a good thing this was private property. Attracting attention wasn't something programmed into us after being bitten. It was a personality thing, one that many vampires carried over into their next life. I wasn't the sort. Most of the time. Depended on my mood. I was still observing Jasper. His eyes shifted slightly to the east, looking down at a red-headed waif with a shirt that she was trying to pass off as a dress. Nikki. Seriously, why didn't I end her when I had the chance? Things would be much easier. I could already hear two girls further away, arguing about how Nikki had fucked their meal. They wanted to fight her. Oh. Too late.

It was like scratching the sharpened nails of a cat against a freshly cleaned chalkboard. It grasped the attention of everyone, even those unable to converge upon the spot. One of the girls was a brunette. She hissed at her slutty rival angrily. Nikki was backed between the two of them, the brunette, and the blond. The blond was being stupid. She was obviously new, and untrained. When someone swept their feet under you, you jumped and tackled them. You didn't stand there and watch. The brunette tackled her, and they rolled. Straight into the blond team-mate. The three of them were some kind of half-vampire, half-girl, one-slut mixture. Jasper growled loudly. Everyone other than Jonah and I jumped. The three girls were still on the ground, pulling hair. Nikki held the upper hand for a quick five seconds as she pulled the hair of the brunette, directing her head to the side and opening her neck, preparing to sink her teeth in. But then Blondie jumped her, and it was back to the ground again.

Jasper strode next to them, reached his hand down, and pulled up an arm. He tossed it to the side. He reached back down and pulled at red hair, which revealed Nikki coming up with it. "Get your ass to my office. Now," he growled. She didn't even protest. Fuck, I wouldn't have either. The look he was emitting could have killed someone. Hell, he might be planning it. She ran, casting one more look at the two girls on the ground. Blondie no longer had an arm. She was screeching in pain. The brunette was being a dumb-ass and explaining the situation. But even I could tell, Jasper was in no mood for explanations at the moment.

"The two of you, get over there," he grunted, pointing to a spot by a tree. They quickly walked over, their eyes no longer meeting his. Blondie still didn't have her arm. She didn't seem to care at the moment. Jasper got back onto the make-shift podium and scanned the crowd. "In five days, the Volturi will be here to battle. We will need to prepare more quickly than ever. I do not want to see petty arguments and fights going on because of something as stupid as a seduced human." He glared at the brunette and Blondie, who looked down ashamedly. "Tomorrow morning will begin sparring competitions. You will fight another, and I will assess your skill. Those of you that pass, will be welcomed to the battle. Those who don't, will be terminated." Murmurs rose from the crowd. Even with the clusterfuck of people surrounding me, I could sense his emotions. Dishonesty. Nervousness. Anger. And something else. Lust?

His eyes met mine. And I couldn't have looked away if I tried. It was like a current of electricity was running between us, spreading a delicious feeling through my very core. You know that feeling you get, when you do something bad, and get away with it? Now heighten that feeling to about ten-thousand volts.

His skin glittered, even with the muted, almost unidentifiable light through the light gray clouds. Blond hair fell to the nape of his neck, strands of light gold and dark yellow glinting. Fiery red-orange eyes burned, staring as they lit a blaze within me. I didn't understand. I had never experienced these feelings before. Not even when I brushed against him. It was strange. "I expect everyone to participate. Sparring begins at dawn. Your goal is elimination. I want everyone here at four."

There was no weak protest. No argument. I was surprised my own smart-mouth stayed shut. Everyone nodded, and the crowd dissipated. Jonah stayed at my side. He didn't comment on the moment between Jasper and I. Hell, I could still feel our connection. It was like the buzzing of an electric fence. I could feel the buzz intensifying. It was spreading from my head to my toes. It was like I had been lit on fire, and the flames were licking at my body. I felt warm, instead of cool. If I could sweat, I would have been drenching my clothes. He finally looked away, breaking the connection as his attention turned to the brunette and blond from the earlier scuffle. "Karolyn, Natalia. Step forward." The blond went first, with the brunette following nervously. At some point during my staring contest, she had re-connected her arm. "I expect better from the both of you. Karolyn, you will assist Jonah in organizing feeding times. Natalia, you will help Lynn." The blond began to speak. "But Major, we were only -" He glared down at her, causing her to shut her mouth. "I do not want to hear your excuses." She looked down. Her face burned with shame. Pussies.

What was it about Jasper that induced these people to carry themselves the way they did around him? It certainly wasn't his demeanor; cold, arrogant, rude. But I was left wondering. Did he always travel across the world to rescue kidnapped women? Or was it Alyssa he felt inclined to save? I didn't understand this man. He was as different as the stars I watched in the night sky. Each twinkled brightly, differently, winking alternately at you. "Dismissed." He was back to being cold again. Did he cut himself off to end his pain? Or was it all an act, something to scare those that threatened him? Maybe I would never understand. But I wanted to try.

Jonah didn't need any words. He smiled at me and disappeared into the trees. He was another odd-ball at my side. I seriously loved that guy. My legs moved forward, each step pushing me closer and closer to my blond mystery. He was crouched in the dirt, his eyes stuck on a blade of grass fluttering in the breeze. I plopped down next to him, striking up a cloud. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you like the dirt as much as I do." It was the best opener I could come up with. I didn't expect him to answer, or even look at me. So what a surprise when he did. "When I was young, my mother used to lay with me underneath a tree in our backyard, and watch the clouds. When she died, I liked to imagine she was a cloud, becoming all these different shapes just for me. My personal cloud. I always wanted to fly up and hug her. When I got older, I needed an escape. When my father wasn't looking, I would sneak outside and watch the clouds again." My mouth was dry. I didn't have any smart-quips or joking comments. He had bared a piece of his soul to me.

"Why do you do this," he murmured. "Why do you talk to me, despite your hatred for me." Did I hate him? Did I really? I had never questioned my feelings before. I always assumed it was anger. Hatred. With just the smallest amount of lust. I tried to ignore that part most of the time. I stuck to the facts. He had kidnapped me. Humiliated Zak. But recently, surprises had cropped. Rescued me. Prevented me from becoming a pawn in the hands of a misplaced king. Was hate really what I felt for him? His fist clenched. He swiped a hand through his hair.

"It's okay to be nervous, sometimes." It wasn't hard to see that he was. His nervousness was like a cheap cologne. It permeated the air and clung to me. "Reading my emotions?" he snapped. "Did Alyssa teach you that?" ...and that, ladies and gentleman, was some seriously misplaced anger. "No. I don't know how to do that. And besides, it all over your face." Alright, I lied. I could read emotions. Sometimes. His were the easiest to read. I was ignoring the spite in his voice. Everyone had some anger that they couldn't get out. I just hoped it wasn't at me. My intentions were never to make him miserable. I just wanted to make his life difficult - revenge, for kidnapping me. "You haven't explained why you talk with me, yet." He was getting impatient. He could wait.

"Because." Yes, I know, wonderful reasoning. "I don't see the point in leaving you miserable. You look like someone kicked your puppy." He looked up. His eyes were swirling again, the red and orange melding together to create the beautiful orange-red of a sunset. "You're supposed to be the all-powerful Major. They're all counting on you to lead them to victory." This was the first, and only time, I would ever admit he was powerful. "You need your head in the game." I nudged him gently, and he sent me a small nudge back.

"Besides, I don't think being nice to you for a little bit will kill me. You can be very likable. You know, when you're not being narcissistic."

This earned me a smile. Not a smirk, not a twitch of his lips. An actual smile. It was beautiful. He was beautiful. It went without saying, for our kind, but he was so pretty. "You called me powerful. Hah." I knew he would bring that up at some point. I gave a huff of disbelief. "I only said it to make you feel better." He gave a small chuckle this time. His smile widened. And for a quick second, I felt his emotions so strongly, they melded with mine. Happiness. Understanding. Want. Need. Lust. Protectiveness. And then, as quickly as a second, it was gone. The smile, the emotions, everything. His eyes turned blacker than charcoal. "Stop it," he hissed threateningly. Now, if it wasn't for me blocking him with my own abilities, I would have projected as much confusion to him as possible. "What are you talking about?" He looked away, and his jaw tightened. "I don't appreciate you using your abilities on me." Color me shocked. It was the pale white marker in the pack with hints of yellow.

"Jasper?" He didn't respond. "Jasper." Nothing. He was looking at the ground, staring. "Jasper. Look at me." I was feeling my patience thin. "Jasper, look at me!" He looked up. His gaze was hardened, his eyes a burning, black pit of emptiness. "What are you talking about," I repeated, slowly, like speaking to a small child. He growled softly. "I'm feeling things for you that aren't real. They can't be real. You're putting shit in my head."

I couldn't believe this. I had finally seen a glimpse of the man inside, and he had closed up once more to insult me. "You think I would use my abilities to control you? For what reason? What fucking reason would I have to get into your head." I sounded petty and demanding. Fuck it. I didn't care. He had no right to accuse me. "I don't know!" he roared. He stood up jerkily. "You make me feel things that aren't real. You're in my head. You're doing this to me." His voice trembled with anger. Underneath the anger, I was slightly worried.

"So yeah," he growled, his pitch black irises focused on me. "I do think you would use your abilities on me." The moment of peace had evaporated into the air. Jasper was afraid of something. Something I couldn't understand at the moment. "I was trying to make you feel better." He had looked miserable. But right now, he looked down-right angry. And under that, the slightest glimmer of fear.

"I don't need help. I don't want your charity, I don't want your sympathy, and I don't want you."

It felt like my heart was crumbling in on itself. Hell, it still shocked me daily to know that I had one. I didn't know what this pain in my chest was, but I had never experienced anything like it before in my life. No venom could create this. Phil and his beatings were nothing compared to this. That was a light feathery caress. A walk in the park. This was pain. And I had no clue how to deal with it.

"You know what? I forgot. You don't feel. Anything."

He winced, and his hand fell over the left side of his chest. How could he be in pain? He had dealt the blow himself. I didn't stick around to argue more. I wanted him out of my sight, and out of my mind. This close to him, neither were possible. I ran. Everything around me became a brightly colored blur. I jumped on trees and climbed to the highest peak. I could see the leafy green bushels for miles. The dark brown bark looked pretty in contrast to my pale skin. A light breeze washed over me. I felt myself calm.

He was no longer in my sight, but I could not rid him from my mind. His red-orange eyes stared at me, though his face was nowhere near my own. His golden blond hair fluttered slightly in the sunlight, but the only golden object I could see was the sun. His skin glittered, his muscles flexed, his lips puckered. He talked about flying and watching clouds and clean women. God, everything about him was stuck in my head. I was frozen, my mind unable to erase the feelings that stemmed from my contact with Jasper Whitlock. I didn't understand. We had been fine. It was like he had invited me in for milk and cookies.

Then kicked me out. And then, he had slammed the door in my face.

Another breeze blew a familiar scent my way. Chocolate. Fish-sticks. And grizzly bear. Emmett. Then lo-and-behold, the giant was on the branch below me. "Having boy troubles?"

I had to smirk at his hint. "You could say that." Emmett sighed. He climbed a little higher, until he was directly across from me. "He's afraid." Yeah, I'm sure he is. Of what, is the question. "I know that. But I don't know why." To my surprise, he snorted. I gave him a look. "Oh come on, Bells. You can't honestly tell me you don't know why he's afraid." Yes, Emmett, because I can read minds now. Wait. Can I do that? "I really don't. Seriously." He huffed. "He traveled to Italy, risking his life, by the way, and almost killed Phil," he said his name with a low growl, "while the two of you were unconscious in that field."

Ah-hah. Wrong. "He traveled to Italy to save Alyssa. Not me. She has power. Power he needs to win this battle." I was ignoring the Phil thing. I bet Em would have killed him too, if he'd had the chance. Emmett raised an eyebrow at me. "I don't know if you know this, but he has a weak spot for you. Jasper isn't good with emotions. Things like love, hell, things like simply feeling a strong amount of affection for a person make him want to claw his hair out. The man is kind of damaged. He never felt anything for anyone again after his mother." If he just said that, I would understand. I could help. Why wouldn't he let me? Why did he have to play Mr. Macho? "Because he's afraid." I turned to look at him. "He doesn't do well with emotion. He thinks pushing you away will be best for the two of you. He's being self-less for once."

"Self-less?" I snorted. Self-less Jasper should meet Normal Bella. Unfortunately, neither existed. "Emmett, everything he has done so far has had motive. Everything." He nodded. He couldn't deny my words any truth. "Bella, let me put it this way. A month ago, he would rather put you in danger, and drag you to hell with him, than give you up." Fine with me. I heard it was nice and cozy in the winter. I have a membership card for a free spa day. The water boils enough to cook a person. "And now?" He looked away. "Now, he would rather get you as far away from him as possible than make you another pawn in his game." I looked down at the ground below us. It was a long way down. "Think about something. If you were a normal vampire, bitten by him, taught his way, what do you think you would be like?"

Before I could answer, he was gone, falling to the ground and smashing branches as he went. Why would I think about something like that? "You know, if things had been done my way, you would be underneath me in a bed two miles from here." That was why. I closed my eyes. I hadn't heard him. Maybe that was my own fault. "If things had been done your way, you'd have me all to yourself. I wouldn't know how to do anything but depend on you. I wouldn't be a challenge. And you know that." I turned around. It was like looking at the sun. I couldn't stare too long before my eyes began to burn. Nothing had changed from my last encounter with him. Nothing was going to. "I want you to understand something." I caught the underlying tone of his words. He didn't just want me to understand it. He needed me to.

"I'm not like Edward and Emmett. Or even Jonah. I was taught differently, shown another way to live. I'm a product of my environment." He had lost me before he'd even begun. I didn't understand a word coming from his mouth. "I told you on the plane that I wasn't like the Cullens. Because I'm not." Any fool could see that. It was like comparing a cat to a tiger. "I like the kill. I like the feeling as I sink my teeth into the flesh of my meal. I enjoy the taste of the blood rushing into my mouth." He didn't seem ashamed of it. He was proud of being who he was. An admirable trait. "I'm a monster in a man's body. And I'm perfectly okay with it." I'm sure he was. "But monsters don't love. They can't love."

I didn't believe him. "Bullshit." He raised an eyebrow at me. "Don't call on what you don't know." I knew enough. "I know you're afraid to attach yourself to me emotionally. I know you don't love anyone or anything since you mother." His jaw tightened. "You don't get to talk about her. You don't get to analyze me. I came to apologize. That's it." He jumped down and landed on the ground with a thud. No. He wasn't getting away that easy. I jumped after him and propelled myself forward, tackling him to the ground as he began to walk away. "You didn't even really apologize. All you told me was that you were a monster, and that monsters are incapable of love." He stared at me. "You're shit at apologies." I didn't react in time to see his hand hit me square in the chest, knocking me backwards enough for him to get up. "Asshole." I stood and looked at my back. It was coated in dust. Shame. I actually liked this tank. It was blue. My favorite color.

"Idiot." Was he really calling me an idiot? "Heartless bastard." He walked towards me. "Stupid bitch." I gave him as much fire as he threw at me. "I hope you drown in a pool of lava." He cocked an eyebrow. "You should do the world a favor and jump into the fireplace." Please. Without me, shit wouldn't be nearly as interesting. "Funny. I was going to ask if you wanted to do us all a favor and let me feed you to one." He growled at me. His eyes were burning again. And this time I couldn't turn off the heat rising in my body. He was close to me. Too close. The electricity coursing through me could attract a thunderstorm, if I wasn't careful. Before I could react, he slammed me roughly into a tree trunk. His hands gripped tightly on my waist. "Why are you in my head," he growled. I couldn't answer. My smart-ass mouth had shut down. All I could think about was his hand on my skin. My own were sliding along his cheeks, my eyes locked onto his.

His mouth connected to mine. Lips locked, and tongues moved. Fuck, he tasted delicious. My fingers tangled themselves in his hair. I couldn't get enough of him. He tasted like colorfully-striped candy canes and gumdrops and the world's sweetest lemonade. It was like an adrenaline rush. My lips molded to his and his to mine. I felt like I was flying, like nothing in the world could bring me down. The wind was whistling in my ears. I didn't know if I was doing it. I didn't care. His mouth pressed against mine was distracting me.

And then I regained my thought process. I shoved him away. The wind died down. He flew backwards and hit the dirt. I didn't look at him. I didn't speak to him. "Practice what you preach," he called to me. "You can't scold me on how I feel if you run from yours." I didn't respond. There was no need. I ran. I didn't have any other options but to run. Everything whipped through me, leaving my brain running through a haphazard, haywire sort of mess. Everything was muddled. Trying to sort through the thoughts was similar to wading through mush. The emotional tornado wreaking havoc within me was growing. Shit, why had I let him kiss me? Why had I kissed him back? The smell of seawater attracted my attention. I ran to my favorite beach and plopped down in the sand. I flung the wet putty out into the water and screamed silent thoughts in my head as I closed my eyes.

A familiar scent drifted into the air. Jonah approached me. "I think you like him. What do you think?" I wasn't going to answer. "So?" I ignored him, refusing to open my eyes. The calming sounds of the waves soothed me. "You can ignore it for however long you like, but you know the truth, Bella." Still ignoring him. If he was going to quote stupidity at me, I was going to quote silence to him. "Fine. Pretend all you want. But at some point you've got to accept it." I didn't have to accept shit. It wasn't true. "You like him, Bells. The sooner you admit it to yourself, the better." I didn't like him. I didn't want him. The electricity that flowed through me when he was around was my own bodily hormones crying out for a mate. That had to be the answer. I didn't like Jasper. I didn't want Jasper.

What I didn't understand was why I had kissed him.

It had gone from a simple moment. He had explained his theories about love to me. I had called bullshit on it. I had tackled him. And then he had shoved me against a tree, and our lips had connected. I had marveled at the taste of his mouth, his tongue, his skin. And then I had regained consciousness and pushed him back. I didn't want to understand. I didn't need to. I would ignore the situation. Like I was ignoring Jonah. "Don't be a fool, Bella." I was nothing close to a fool. "Talk to me." I opened my eyes. "When he touches me, I feel like an electric current is coursing under my skin. When he looks at me, I feel like the inside of a furnace. And just being near him gums the gears in my brain." Decipher that.

After about three minutes, he responded. "How do you live in denial for so long?" I growled. I wasn't living in denial. It was the truth. I felt nothing for Jasper. Nothing. "You can't keep lying to yourself. The sooner you accept the truth about you and him, the better."

"I don't have to accept anything. We're like water and oil. We don't mix."

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><p>At four, the vampires began to swarm. No one was risking Jasper's wrath today. Nikki showed up, and Karolyn and her friend kept their distance. Even the lazy ones, a blond female named Frances and a black-haired man named Ray, showed up. No one was taking any chances today. Jonah stayed next to me, quietly assessing the competition. I followed his lead and began my own scan. Kara, a petite brunette with a thing for bugs. She was in a relationship with Theodore, who had to have the blondest hair I had ever seen - it looked white. The two of them were a good team. She could stun you, paralyze you for a total of one minute. He could make you hallucinate stupid things, like being trapped in a cage. Take them down and I would have one step less to climb.<p>

Jason and Vanessa. I had met Jason the first time I'd met Jasper. He'd been there. His own gift was a form of telepathy. He could push his thoughts into your mind. His mate was the opposite. She could draw your thoughts out from your mind, and make you say them out-loud. Andrew. He had a form of mind-control. It only worked on weaker opponents, but my mental shield was a helpful disadvantage towards him. I was stuck assessing the gifts and potential danger of everyone. And then Jasper walked out of the house. Conversations fell silent. No one met his eyes. The dawn began to spread across the sky and he clapped his hands, like we were a pack of puppies and he needed our attention. "Everyone paired into groups of thirty." We worked quickly. Unfortunately, Nikki got stuck in my group. "You spar with everyone in your group. Two at a time. Everyone not fighting, watch and wait." I turned to face my opponent. She was a tiny little thing, with short blond and green hair and pretty gold eyes.

The fight was over quickly. She swung. I jumped. She repeated. I ducked and punched her in the throat. She bared her teeth at me. I tackled her and pushed my mouth dangerously close to her neck. I won. She left. I plopped down in the dirt and waited.

Alyssa walked over to me from where I was enjoying a silent victory. "Hi," she greeted me, sitting down. I smiled at her. "After this, can we work on your Magi training?" I nodded. My powers were my biggest assets right now. I had to know how to use them, and when I should. Without training, I wouldn't be good enough to wield them. And then we would all die. I knew with Alyssa forfeiting her spot in the fight, Jasper was expecting me to bring the magic. "Isabella!" I looked up. Jasper was staring at us, one eyebrow quirked. I stared silently for a moment, before sticking my tongue out at him. Alyssa giggled. He grinned. I almost fell off of my patch of dirt. Jasper didn't smile. He didn't grin. He didn't laugh. And he didn't explain things to me other than tell me why I was here.

But yesterday he had smiled at me. Laughed with me. Told me things about him I would never have even thought. He was changing. But was it for himself? Or for someone else? "Oh." I looked over at Alyssa. She was frowning. "I have go. I'll see you later." She got up and walked into the house. I would have followed her, but I wasn't sure I was supposed to. Jasper walked over and seated himself next to me. "Having fun?" I nodded, not looking at him. Even if I was deaf and blind, I would have felt his presence. It was intense, yet subtle. Like a brewing storm.

"You shouldn't deny yourself, Isabella." This, of course, caused me to look over at him. He was looking up at the sky. Several immortals, those who did not fight, began to whisper.

"He spends most of his time with her, she must be the new favorite..."

"...seems Nikki has competition..."

"….all fall for him sooner or later."

I clenched my fists and forced myself to count and breathe through my nose. The array of smells would calm me. One. Dampened earth. Two. Squirrel fur. Three. Grilled mushrooms. Four. Shampoo. Five...

I stopped counting. He was still sitting there, oblivious to the whispers about us. He looked down at me, then huffed. "Stop being so sensitive. They're only rumors." Not oblivious. Ignoring. And expecting me to. Well fuck him. "I'm not being sensitive. You're being an asshole." He rolled his eyes. "Pot calling the kettle black." I stood up and sped away. I didn't have to listen to his shit today. One minute I was running, and the next I was flat on my ass. Wait, correction. On my back. And Jasper was on top of me.

I growled and bucked at him, attempting to remove him from me. "Get off of me, you lunatic!" He growled. "No." I flipped us. I was straddling him. His hands were on my hips. My hair fell like a curtain over us. And now he was staring at me. No words. Just staring. Like a blind man that had finally seen the sun. "Mine," he whispered. No. I was not going to be his. Not just like that. My hands found his chest, and I pushed backwards. He flew off of me and fell on his ass. Good. He deserved it. I stood up and brushed the dirt off of my jeans. They were torn a few inches above the cuff. Asshole. "You know you want me. Why don't you just admit it already." Because I'm not an idiot. Because it gave him a power over me that he didn't need. "Because you're an asshole." Yes, I'm aware I've been repeating the same thing. But he is one. He needs to understand that. "You've known that since the day you got here. What's stopping you now?" Oh, I don't know. Maybe a lack of explanation. Or a solid lack of any emotion towards me that he could fluidly show.

"You're not seeing me like a person, Jasper. You're seeing me like another one of your toys." He raised an eyebrow. I raised my one of my own and placed a hand on my hip. That's right, I cocked the bitch-brow. "You're not a person. You're a vampire. Don't confuse yourself." I balled one hand into a fist. He was seriously pissing me off today. "I don't want to be another conquest. The sooner you understand that, the better." He gave an exasperated sigh. "You're not a conquest." Oh, like hell I wasn't. "Yeah, and birds don't fly."

"Some don't." Smart-ass. "If you stopped being such an idiot about this, we would be in a soft bed right now." Is sex all he thinks about? "Is that all that goes through your head these days?" Seriously. "No. There's some other things. Like how sexy you are when you're angry." I'm going to punch him. In the throat. I hope it hurts. "You're an idiot."

"Are we going the petty insults route again? Fine. Go fall in a volcano." Oh, it's on. I snapped my fingers forward, pushing my hand into his throat. He didn't move fast enough, and I got a solid hit in. He glared at me. Before he could tackle my ass into the dirt, I surged forward. My fingers found his chest and I used every once of strength to push him backward. He practically flew. I heard the crash as he hit the tree. He landed on his feet and bared his teeth at me. "Bring it, bitch."

With a flying leap, he tackled me. Before I could fall, he detached himself from me, and I landed on the ground a few feet from where he stood. He was staring at me with a sardonic grin on his smug little face. I got to my feet and growled. He smirked. "Ooh, I'm so scared. Is the big bad kitten going to hurt me?" Taunting obviously wasn't beneath him. I leaped forward, prepared to rip his arm off, when I was slammed back to the ground. For a minute I thought it was him. But he was pinned against a tree, inches from the ground.

"Seriously, you guys have got to stop fighting all the time." I looked up. Alyssa was walking towards us, with Jonah at her side. "I'm more surprised you guys came all the way out here to do it." I glared at Jonah. "What? She found you. Don't give me that look." I stared at Alyssa. "The both of you are acting like spoiled brats." I gave her a look of disbelief. "Oh, come on. The two of you go at like cats and dogs, for no reason other than petty differences." Oh, please. We weren't that bad. Really. Maybe. Okay, we were.

"In my defense, she tackled me." I cocked an eyebrow at him. Did he really just try to fling the blame on me? "He started this shit yesterday. He showed up babbling nonsense about monsters and their inability to love. He claimed he was apologizing, but all I heard was a fountain of bullshit." He snarled at me, and I gave him a growl right back. I wasn't scared of his stubborn ass. "If I let them go, we could sell tickets." Jonah smirked. "I'll get the blood-drenched popcorn." That sounds wrong. Disgusting and wrong. Who in their right mind would soak popcorn in blood? Nasty.

"That is so wrong." She let me up, and I got to my feet and brushed the dirt off of my pants. I aimed a glare at Jasper, who gave another trademark smirk from his place still stuck to the tree. "If you stopped delivering bullshit every few seconds, we might actually get along." I didn't deliver anything. I told him the truth with little regard for his personal feelings. Like he did me. "Pot calling the kettle black."

He rolled his eyes. "You can put me down now." Alyssa shrugged. "Oh, yeah." He dropped to the forest floor, and landed in a crouch. "Thanks." I started walking away. "What, you're just going to leave it like that? I was winning." Psh. In you dreams, cloud-boy. I didn't turn around and give him my smart-assed remark. I ran back to my beach and dived into the water.

The cool water felt good on my skin, and the weight of my clothes made me feel better. The fish avoided me, but I could still see them. If I wanted I could dart out like the land-shark I was and eat them. But I didn't feel like it. Why didn't I just live down here? No Jasper, no war, no expectations of anything. Just waving at dolphins and scaring the hell out of the next pair of fisherman to come this way. I was a sad, unacceptable excuse for a predator, and I was perfectly okay with it.

I swam. I went lower and lower. I felt like The Little Mermaid. That chick wanted to walk so much, hell, she could take my place. But then again, she wanted to be human. I wasn't either. I grabbed the side of an underwater cave, and watched as a shark went in for the kill. He feigned left, then went right and ate seven fish in one gulp. I felt proud, like a mother seeing her child walk for the first time. Didn't know why I did. I was, logically, the most dangerous creature to roam the Earth. By those standards, I should be gobbling people left and right.

Forget land. I'm staying here. The sea is my new home. I'll trade places with Ariel. A palace and a mythical god for a dad couldn't be that bad.

* * *

><p>I was still swimming through the ocean. The sun had gone down and the moon was my new best-friend. She made everything white and pretty with her glow. From down here, she was a wavy circle that kept changing shape to an oval and back again. I swam up a little, closer to the surface, and looked at the moon some more. I needed to find a better hobby.<p>

I was pulled out of the water and thrown through the air. A split-second later, I landed in a cloud of sand. Nasty stuff. When it got in your mouth, it tasted worst than dirt. The little grains got everywhere. I was spitting out sand when my favorite asshole showed up. "Damn, do you have any idea how bad you are at sensing people? Seriously. I was able to throw you onto your ass, Isabella." Douche. I was a sad excuse for a vampire. There was room for improvement. But I was better than him.

He held a hand out and looked down at me. "I didn't mean to throw you that hard, though." I put my hand in his and let him pull me up. "That's like saying, I didn't mean to punch you in the nose, I was aiming for your cheek." I understood the sentiment, but that didn't mean I accepted it. I'd rather hear someone say I'm sorry than a metaphor. Better than nothing, though. He quirked a smile. "There is something seriously wrong with us." No kidding. The tension between the two of us was enough to drown a dolphin.

"I'm willing to...compromise," he spit the word out distastefully, as if compromising was beneath him. I rolled my eyes. "Drama-queen." He huffed. "Look, we'll go back to ignoring each other. You'll train with Alyssa and Jonah. The day of the battle, you fight, you win, and then you leave. No questions asked." What? I couldn't believe my ears. I felt like I should pull them off and check them for sand. Or mud. That shit got everywhere. Worst than dirt. "But only if you admit it." Admit what?

"What are you talking about?" He stared at me. "Come on, Isabella. You can't be serious. Admit your feelings for me. You want me. I know you do." And sheep can astral-project. Jackie Chan Adventures taught me that.

"Please. You're the one accusing me of playing with your head. You like me. You want me. Admit it to yourself." He grit his teeth. I had awoken the sleeping bear. Wait, correction, the sleeping tiger. "Fine. You want me to admit it? Here you go. I do want you. I like you. Love is for suckers, but I like you more than I should." Oh, shit. Did not expect that. He wasn't supposed to admit, he was supposed to deny. What kind of guy can't even read subtle womanly signals? Every man in the world. "Now, are you going to say it, or am I going to have to force you to?" And what kind of guy threatened you to say something you didn't mean? This one.

"I'm not going to say something that's not true, Jasper." He let out a burst of laughter. "Bullshit. You say things that aren't true all the damn time." He talked too much. Really. I could have been very neutral, and now I was angry. Again. "Oh, Jasper, I don't like you. Jasper, I don't want you. You practically screamed at me that you wanted nothing to do with me, but at the end of the day, you're the metal to my magnet. You can't help but come back to me."

I hated him for saying it, and I hated him even more for it being true. "You're an asshole."

"But you want me anyway. And I want you." He wasn't going to give up. And I wasn't going to compromise. Why should I? I should be able to take what I want and be done with it. But if I could, so could he. I was no better than he was. "I have an idea. Let's play 20 questions." Games were like cake to me. They brought the peace to two parties. He shook his head. "Let's not and say we did." I was trying to be friendly, and he was ruining it. "I'm trying to be nice here. Would you rather I pretend you don't exist?" I plopped back into the sand. After a moment of silence, he sat down a few inches from me. "Your life would probably be easier, but then mine wouldn't be. I'll play."

"Favorite color?"

I was expecting something basic, like red or black. He surprised me. "Purple."

"Why?" He looked at me. "Isn't it my turn to ask a question?" He had me there. "Go ahead." His gaze returned to the body of water I had just exited. "If you could be any animal, which would you choose and why. " Oh, that was easy. "A mountain lion. I would be agile and strong, and able to hunt my dinner." He snorted. "I would have pegged you for a doe. Big wide eyes and an innocent expression suit you." When I was human, he had no idea.

"It used to be. When I was little, at least. Then one day Renee took me with her and Phil to a shooting range, and I saw the men shooting the targets. They were all shaped like deer, and painted brown. I started crying and asked my mom why they had to shoot them. She said deer were the weakest animals, and that hunting them was a traditional sport. I decided I didn't want to be a deer anymore." Mountain lions were strong. I would have said elephant, but I liked the prospect of being a very big cat. Explaining it to him was easier than avoiding him. Maybe, just maybe, I could see us being friends. After another hundred years.

"Favorite food?" If he was anyone else, he would have looked at me with an expression of befuddlement. He didn't. "When I was human, it was vegetable soup."

"What's your favorite element?" His questions were seemingly random, and didn't have any real rhyme or reason. "Fire." Fire was tough. Fire was uncontrollable. Fire burned everyone and kept them away. Like it should be. "I like water." He was weird, and I liked it. He tasted like sunlight and smelled like lemons. Everything about him was yellow and happy, even though he himself screamed the opposite. I liked it all.

Shit. Did I like him? Fuck.

My new-found revelation had me rushing to my feet. He stayed on the ground and didn't look at me. "Finally figure it out, huh?" Did he have some kind of secret ability no one else knew about? "Do you have some kind of superpower that allows you to read minds?" Maybe Edward rubbed off on him. He shook his head. "I don't have to read minds. It's written all over your face." Note to self: find better poker-face. "That's just wonderful," I mumbled. "So you going to admit it already?" I shook my head. Nope. I would admit when I was ready. Which would probably be never. I didn't need a mate; I already had enough shit to deal with, like a war. I looked up at the moon again. I really needed a better hobby.

Bella? Was there no limit to this mind-talking thing? I felt like I should have a phone built into my head. Yeah? Jasper was staring at me with a weird expression on his face. I need you to come back. We have training to do. And I was having such a good time asking random questions and burying my toes in wet sand. Ah, well. I stood up. On my way now. "Sorry, got to go. We'll do lunch." The expression on his face was priceless. He was staring at me with this look of confusion. It almost made me laugh. Almost.

Like always, I ran before he could say anything else. Back through the trees and dirt, to grass and painted wood. Alyssa was waiting for me outside her house. "Finally figure it out, huh?" Seriously, is my poker face that bad? I huffed. "Let's just do the damn magic already." She smiled. "Alright."

* * *

><p>The sun shined down on me and cast little diamonds everywhere. I wiggled my fingers and made the tiny beacons move with me. Even with my cold granite skin, I could feel the warmth that permeated the air. I was once again laying somewhere. I needed a hobby. Something like knitting. My hair was splayed out behind me, mixing with the grass and dirt. I was nowhere near the ranch, and yet Jasper was all I could think about. I think I was able to officially establish I had a problem. Maybe there was a support group somewhere.<p>

"Why deny what you already know?" Alice sat down next to me. She smelled like nail polish and rotten apples. "If you want him, go to him." She made it sound simple, like some fairy-tale waiting to be spun. I hated that shit. Fairy-tales were nothing more than princesses waiting for a prince, and happy endings that never stayed that way. Why did Cinderella wait for her prince to find her? She could have just shown him the damn slipper in the first place. Better yet, why didn't she just leave? What had been keeping her with her step-mother in the first place? Damn. I was reading too much into a children's story. I needed psychological help. "This isn't some fairy-tale. This is real."

She sighed, and I wanted to punch her in the gut. Why was she even involved? I hadn't asked anyone to come out here and find me. My fingers dug through the dirt and made neat little rows. I continued clawing, to distract myself from chopping her in the throat. "It's fairly simple. You like him. He likes you. Just run with it." It wasn't simple, and she didn't understand. She was happy with Edward, the mind-reading pretty boy who drank animal blood and felt compassion for humans. I wanted the serial-killer who bathed in his kills, a murderer compassionate about only spilling blood. We were two separate people, both attracted to almost different species of males.

I was scared. Scared of how fast and hard my feelings for him were coming. I'd dealt with Phil, an upcoming war, and never really had time to think about how fast I was falling. Falling. I was falling, and I couldn't lie to myself anymore. I liked him. A lot. There was no love, none. Just a strong attraction that made me feel helpless and pathetic. I wanted to tear my hair out. Before I could even entertain how that would look, I smelled the fresh scent of lemons. "Take a hike, Alice." She pouted and stood up. "You're no fun." Jasper sat beside me, not too close, but not far either. "We are so fucked up."

"No kidding." We could drown a dolphin with the tension between us. A dolphin, goddammit. They can fucking swim. "It scares me how fast this is going." It was the only truth I would give him. "You kidnapped me, and tried to break me in. You saved me and also admitted that you care about me. It's almost paradoxical. I shouldn't like you, because I have absolutely no reason to. And yet I do. And it scares the shit out of me."

He didn't speak. I gulped in fresh air, allowing myself to swallow the smells of dirt and grass and salt from the nearby sea. "Who was your first kill." It was the oddest damn question, and one I answered without hesitation. "A man named Henry. He was 24, with brown hair and brown eyes. He pissed himself when I grabbed him, and screamed when I bit into his neck. After him, I killed his daughter." He nodded. "My first kill was in a small restaurant. I murdered fifteen people." Whoa, nelly. "Someone chained the doors shut, front and back. The first person I grabbed was a woman with dark brown hair. She had green eyes and a pearl necklace that almost choked her. It made her neck even prettier. After her, the faces blurred. She's the only person I can remember."

"Was she a particularly memorable kill or something?" He turned to look at me, and his onyx black eyes focused intently on my face. "She tasted delicious, and is still the best kill I've ever had." Umm. Alright. "Yay for you?" He growled. I flinched a little, when I blinked. "I asked because I was wondering. I told you mine because if I hadn't, you would have assumed I was holding back." He was right. Dammit.

The light breeze blew the salty scent even closer, and made me want to go swim my frustration away. I was pissed I couldn't decide for myself. Angry I couldn't make my decision, to figure out if I wanted Jasper or not. I wished I could slice his neck and watch him writhe on the ground in blood. Then he would be just another human. Another victim to the imperfection of vampires. He was still staring at me. I was almost tempted to clear my throat. He would probably make fun of how human an action it was. "I've never had a memorable kill."

"Obviously, you haven't killed enough." What kind of...what the hell? "What do you mean, I haven't killed enough?" He shrugged. "Look, everyone has a first kill, their best kill. One where they smelled like heaven and tasted like sin." He had a point. "Or maybe you haven't hunted with the right person."

Was he suggesting what I think he was? I looked at him. His hair was catching the sun and throwing the light back. It was like he was glowing. "Did you forget what happened earlier?" I hadn't. I was still confused as hell. I wanted to scream, to throw out a slew of curses and just grab him. But didn't every action have a consequence? What would I have to pay for this one?

I swear, I was like a scale. My emotions tipped with the slightest breeze. I was going back and forth faster than Roadrunner in Looney Tunes. "Get a hold of yourself. You're going to make me spew bodily fluids in a few minutes." Moment officially ruined.

"Come on. I want to show you something." He pulled me to my feet, and I let him, because I didn't feel like pushing him away. "Climb on." Was he serious? "Seriously. Climb the fuck on, already." I sighed, but leaped onto his back. His arms fastened over my legs, and he took off. Trees blurred, scenery became green pastels, and I found myself standing in front of a cabin. I hopped off his back. "Stop breathing. I want this to be a surprise." No way in hell. It was like cutting off my eyesight. I took a deep whiff just to annoy him. He actually gave me a smile. "Stubborn brat." I smelled blood. Lots of it. Not disgusting animal blood, but the blood of the one thing our kind craved. Human.

I climbed through the open window without hesitation. Forget Jasper. I was hungry.

Three males, all sitting around a pile of cash, looked over at me when I walked straight back. I had followed my nose. And it did not disappoint. One of them was blond, with a sadistic smile on his face. He didn't even flinch when I walked in. The other two, both brunettes, stood up, one positioning a gun in my direction. I wanted to laugh. But, of course, that would ruin the fun I was having. I looked at both males. "You can put that away now." The blond one stood up. "Aren't you a pretty little thing." Was he crooning at me? He was. Idiot.

I could only imagine what he thought I was. A poor, defenseless female, smoking hot and alone with three males. He stepped closer to me and aimed a question at his friends. "Want to have some fun?"

One brunette moved and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me closer. He gave me a sickening grin. And then he focused on my eyes, and I knew the metaphorical jig was up. "What the fuck!" He shoved me away from him, but it was too late. I didn't have time to let them ask questions. I snapped. I grabbed his neck and twisted. I had been aiming for a broken neck, but I twisted too hard. His head came flying off, his body hit the ground, and blood sprayed everywhere. I licked my lips, catching some drops that had flown onto my mouth.

"Tasty." Blondie started screaming. Brunette #2 started firing the gun. I felt the bullets nick me in the forehead, the chest, the stomach, and in one eye. He stared in horrified amazement as I smiled cruelly at him. I grabbed the gun out of his hands, and still smiling, bent the metal barrel. Blondie hadn't even stopped screaming yet. "Sorry, boys. But I'm hungry." I twisted a little gentler this time, managing to actually crack his neck instead of twisting it off. I dropped the body, ran over to Blondie, and grabbed the back of his neck.

"Please. I have money, okay? Just take it, take the damn money, just please don't fucking kill me." I shook my head. "I don't want your damn money." As a human, maybe. As a vampire, I had no real use for it. "What about people? You eat people, right? I can get you more. Other people. I'll even give you my girlfriend, just please don't fucking hurt me." Ass. He would rather give up someone else's life to save his. "No." I snapped his head forward, disconnecting it from his neck and sending it flying to the couch. His body sprayed blood, then dropped. I saw the rather large pool of it being made from the other two combined.

My fingers dipped into the pool, and slipped into my mouth. It tasted delicious. I grabbed the closest body and sank my teeth into the bloody neck. Ah. Sweet crimson relief. My red cough medicine soothed the ache in my throat. I drank and drank, sucking the dismembered body dry. When I finally dropped the body, I looked down at myself. The blood had stained my shirt, my pants, and some was actually in my hair. I could only imagine how ironic it would be to get red highlights. I would probably remark how wonderful they looked, and kill the stylist.

"Guess someone already started without me." I didn't turn around and look at him. I was too busy assessing the other two bodies. Jasper ran in front of me, picking up the first dismembered one and sinking his teeth into it. I grabbed what had previously been the blond, and drank. I was sucking the blood in, soothing the ache in my throat, when I instinctually looked up. Jasper was staring at me, the red liquid still smeared over his mouth.

He moved so fast I wasn't able to process the tall blur, until he was directly in front of me. His eyes were glued to mine. It felt like I was swimming in a pool of fire. Before I could speak, before I could move, his mouth was pressed to my own. I was melting into him. I wanted him so bad it was driving me insane. My fingers clutched at his shirt, and I found myself pulling him closer to me. With a low groan, he grabbed me and pressed me harder to him. I could still taste the blood in his mouth. Hell, I could taste him. Every nerve in my body was electrified.

He stopped kissing long enough to speak. "I want you. Shit, Isabella." His words came out breathily. I couldn't even find the coherency to speak. My mind was a jumbled swirl of thoughts and emotions. But only one really stood out. "How the fuck did we do this?" Guess I found that coherency after all. "Go from angry and confused to kissing over a kill." It was a serious thought to consider. Were we really like water and oil? Or were we just both confused? I sure as hell was.

I didn't get much time to ponder it, because he captured my mouth again, eliciting a moan from me as he cupped my ass. "Does it really fucking matter?" A small part of me wanted his kisses, his touching, and that small part said no. But the bigger part, the part that wanted to figure out our relationship, and where to go from here, said yes. With a small sigh, I pushed him away from me.

He was staring at me. And my mouth. "Yes. It matters. I need to know Jasper. I need to understand." He huffed. "Our relationship doesn't need a label. I'm Jasper and you're Isabella, and that's that." But it wasn't. I wanted to know how to proceed from here, how to handle him.

"That's not all we are. I- I-" I wanted to say I trusted him. But that wouldn't be entirely true. I did, but I didn't. It sounded confusing, because it was. I should just spit it out before I melt my brain. "I trust you, but I don't." The look he gave me was how I felt when I said. Seriously, what the fuck brain? Did you already melt?

"I just-" Where had the confident, no-shit-taking me gone? I felt like a kid again, trying to explain to my parents exactly why I felt the need to slam the door and break the vase. "I don't know. I just-" How the fuck do I explain this?

"Don't. I get it. I don't completely understand, but I get it." He didn't even look at me. His eyes landed on the bloody body and stayed there. "What the fuck was I thinking," he mumbled. He sounded like a surly teenager. And with that, he was gone.

Fuck. I think I might have actually hurt his feelings.

* * *

><p><strong>So yeah. Really sorry about the long wait guys. I'll try to do better. Anyways, review for me? Tell me what you thought. Or, yell at me for taking so long. A review is a review, right? ;] Bye, hehe.<strong>


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